Sakura Finds Out
by genki-escapist
Summary: The boys have a secret and Sakura found out! Trouble ensues when the girls of Konoha find out that the boys are gay. But are they really? How can love save the day? Will Sakura get her happy ending? SasuSaku, NaruHina, ShikaIno, NejiTen
1. Prologue: The Confession

**Author's Notes: **So I'll bet you have all seen those '(insert-girl's-name-here) Finds Out' fanfics—wherein none-too-gracious, heterophobic fans (usually female), in an attempt to destroy popular hetero couples (usually canon), would write a scenario such that the much maligned bishoujo half (object of undeserved hatred) of the couple would discover her bishounen sweetie in a romantic (or just plain smutty) situation with another guy (bishounenhood optional)—thus, she 'finds out about her love interest's 'true' sexual preference'. Well, this isn't one of them, but I guess you can say it's sort of a parody of those fics (heheh, a parody of a parody). I tend to enjoy the canon (or most canon-like) couples in anime/manga as set by their creators, and for my part, quite fatigued by all the yaoi/yuri couples spawned by the fandom 'just because they can'. I'm not homophobic or against homosexuals in any way, but I believe that if we all would just take a step back and take shounen as shounen (not shounen-ai), then maybe the fandom world would be a better place. So, this piece of fanfiction features the most canon-like couple in "Naruto", SasuSaku, supported by NaruHina, ShikaIno and NejiTen. And you'll probably find bits of KakaKure and IrukaAnko scattered randomly in the story… although, they're not true Kishimoto pairs.

**Spoilers:** Eh… most of Part 1… just pretend that the Sasuke departure didn't happen

**Disclaimer: Naruto and all those related stuff don't belong to me.**

**Sakura Finds Out**

**Prologue: The Confession**

I, Haruno Sakura, hummed a happy tune as I skipped my way down the narrow dirt path meandering towards the woods in Konoha Village. It was a lovely day; mild sunlight filtered through the leaves of the trees, chirping bluebirds perched on the branches overhead and a gentle cooling breeze blew.

But I scarcely noted these small favors. In the current state of things, a formation of cumulonimbus clouds could rain upon me, turning the path to mud, causing me to slip and ruin my new outfit—and I would still manage to find a silver lining as I squint through the pink hair plastered upon my face.

For I am on my way to see my beautiful Sasuke-kun, the one boy I have loved since childhood. Some things have changed; I am fourteen years old now, a chuunin, my hair has grown longer than before and yet my feelings for him remain. I am ecstatic over the fact that he has invited me to a small class reunion party of sorts.

Okay, so it had been little more than a simple: "Party. They're asking you to come." And he had a scowl on his face, looking none-too-pleased that he had to be the one to extend the invitation. Nonetheless, it was a valid invitation from _the_ Uchiha Sasuke.

The party was Naruto's idea—all of us are at least chuunins now, and Shikamaru, Neji and Tenten just reached jounin rank. It was an excuse for the boys to throw a drinking party. They invited us girls but…

"Eww, with you guys?" Ino turned up her nose. "I wouldn't trust you boys with a single drop of alcohol!"

Tenten scoffed. "Tch, such an irresponsible thing to do."

"I-I-I… My father won't let me…." Hinata said, a furious blush on her face.

Anyway, I decided against it, what fun would it be anyway, to be the only girl in the company of those boys? Although those boys did include Sasuke-kun…

Nevermind! I am still bringing this special 'Sakura's Cake of Love' to their party to impress Sasuke-kun with my amazing cooking skills! Kyaa! Before I could stop myself, I floated away into a daydream…

_The expression on his face was that of the usual indifference as he helped himself to a slice of my love. One bite… then he gazed tenderly at me with those oppressively gorgeous onyx oculars. "Sakura-chan…" There was urgency in his voice and he took me in his arms in one swift motion. He held me close, resting his head on my shoulder. My neck tingled where his silky black hair caressed it._

_"Sasuke-kun…" I whispered, the light falling unto my green eyes at just the right angle, creating a super-sparkle effect._

_"Why haven't I realized this sooner…" His look was one of longing. "Sakura-chan, aishiteru!"_

_Who knew that single mouthful of extra-chocolatey devil's food cake would do it?_

_"Oh, Sasuke-kun—aishiteru!" I gasped. "You know that I love you too."_

_"I know, and I haven't done your faithful love any justice," he turned away, stricken. "I have pushed you away, hurting your precious heart time and again… I was so blind—Sakura-chan, can you ever forgive me?"_

_"Sasuke-kun, I can never hold that against you!" I took his handsome face in between my hands and gently made him turn back to me. "I know you have had such a difficult and complicated life that I can't hope to fully comprehend it… But I love you and I only wish to ease your pain…"_

_"Oh, Sakura-chan!" He hugged me tighter. "You do understand me…"_

_"Sasuke-kun!"_

_He leaned his face towards me, closer and closer, closing the distance between our trembling lips…_

"Kyaa!" I squealed and blushed to the roots of my hair, hopping around randomly to release my excitement.

_BAMM!_

"Ouch!" I cried, falling on my butt after crashing forehead-first into a tree. I rubbed my big forehead… hopefully it won't swell bigger. I cringed at the mere thought.

I examined my 'love cake' in its stiff box, still tucked under one arm. Satisfied that there seemed to be no real damage, I got back on my feet and resumed my walk towards my dear Sasuke-kun.

One day it will happen! He will confess his love for me and we will live happily ever after! Our friends will have similar fates as well: Neji will show his true feelings for Tenten, Naruto will stop being dense and finally notice Hinata, and Shikamaru will work up enough motivation to pursue Ino. The other girls and I have already conveniently allotted a guy to each of us—now if Ino-pig would just stop stubbornly chasing after _my_ Sasuke-kun and admit she's attracted to that inert genius…

At last, there it is, the clearing where the boys convened. It was a pretty place not too deep into the woods, with a spring wide and deep enough to wade in. Already I could hear the splashing of water, shouts that sound like Shino's and Kiba's, and Naruto's loud, incoherent babble.

I stepped into the clearing and was about to let out a loud: "Hello!"… But then my virgin eyes were met by a sight so horrible, that it would be the stuff of my nightmares for the rest of my natural life.

Neji had both arms wrapped around the neck of Lee, who held him closely. The Hyuuga's face was burrowed in his teammate's bare chest. Shikamaru, that lazy bastard, had his eyes half-closed as his fingers drifted idly upon Chouji's back, the latter lying on the former's lap. Kiba and Shino made unintelligible exclamations as they frolicked in the water.

But worst of all were Sasuke and Naruto, both flushed. Sasuke cried out: "_Daisuki_!" The corners of Naruto's mouth twitched and he smiled naughtily, opening his mouth to reply—

And was cut off.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCKKK!"

It wasn't presumptuous at all to claim that my piercing shriek rang all throughout Konoha. My presence was noted by the boys who haven't yet succumbed to a vegetable-like, alcohol-induced state. Sasuke and Naruto both gaped at me—poor, confused little Sakura-chan, stuttering, stumbling and sputtering. Before they could say anything, I recovered my wits.

"Y-Y-You… guys—gays—whatever… I hope Kami-sama punishes you all for this blatant display of corrupted sexuality!" I screamed. Tears stung my eyes and I quickly made a hundred-eighty-degree turn and ran away.

Behind me, I could hear the boys had been shocked to an alert state of mind.

"What the HELL!" Went Kiba's voice.

Shikamaru complained: "Shit—how bothersome."

"Sakura-san is here Neji, wake-up!" Lee cried.

"Crap!" Naruto yelped.

And above all the noise, Sasuke… I could hear him shouting: "SAKURA!"

**Author's Notes again :** A case of jumping to conclusions… Well, yeah, this is quite short. However, expect an update soon, ne?


	2. Chapter 1: The Secret Disclosed!

**Author's Notes: **Oh… poor, scarred Sakura-chan… What does she do about this? I know the secondary genre is humor, but this particular chapter won't have real humor. Just… well, they naturally react comically, don't they? So it looks funny… but it isn't really. Y'know, looking underneath the underneath, it's sad, not actual humor. However, this part is necessary for the story to work. Just wait for the later chapters, okay?

**Disclaimer: Naruto and all those related stuff don't belong to me.**

**Sakura Finds Out**

**Chapter 1: Action**

"Why me?"

"Why me? Why? What for? _WHAT FOR?_" Sakura sobbed brokenly, asking the question to the concrete road that whizzed past her vision as she ran and ran, aimlessly through Konoha.

She would have preferred finding out about Sasuke-kun's… er, _quirk_… through another person. Of course, hearing it through the grapevine would not be good either, but it would have been better if she got word from one of the other young ninjas.

Then again, she would not have believed and would have wanted to see it for herself. Oh boy, and did she see it for herself today!

_Maybe… I deserve this after all… HELL!_

"Dammit!" Sakura cried, concentrating her chakra to her legs and pumping them on with even greater speed.

Sasuke had never given her any hope that he will love her some day. Quite the opposite actually; with all the rejections, snubs and hurtful words. Sure, he cared about her, they were friends in their own twisted way and she knew he would risk his own life for her—he considered her a comrade. But that was all there was. **(1)**

Still she never doubted that she would end up with him eventually. Sakura _knew_ she deserved Sasuke and she _knew_ that he would see it one day. She did not mind waiting.

It never crossed her mind that she would lose.

Hell, she did not think she would lose even to Ino—who was her greatest rival. Sakura could safely say that Sasuke and Ino lived in different worlds and they would have never worked out. She was smart enough to know that.

So even Ino, a worthy rival she may be, was not actual competition.

Who would have known that the last person she thought was in the running would come out on top of Sasuke's list!

How could Sakura lose to _Naruto_

_Sasuke-kun you idiot! And that dead-last Naruto! I hate you! Both of you!_

She focused even more chakra on her legs, but she had lost her concentration and tripped. "Ouch!"

"Sakura!"

"S-Sakura-chan…"

Sakura looked up to the two feminine voices that called her name and saw Tenten with Hinata, standing in front of an imposing gate. She had tripped right in front of the Hyuuga compound.

The two kunoichis ran towards Sakura. Tenten grasped her arms and pulled her off all fours and into a sitting position, while Hinata watched nervously, twiddling her fingers.

"Are you alright?" Tenten asked, more out of formality than anything. It was fairly obvious that Sakura was not in a good condition.

"I… I'm fine…" Sakura lied weakly. It was procedure, how the hell does one answer that question anyway? She knew it was a very stupid lie though—she knew she looked as horrible as she felt.

"Sakura-chan… Y-You, tears… crying…" Hinata stuttered, her pearly eyes radiating concern.

Sakura roughly wiped the tears from her eyes, an angry noise escaping her throat. _Once again, I am being weak!_

The older girl took Sakura's hands into her own and pulled them away from the tear-streaked face. "You look terrible," she said bluntly, but not unkindly.

Sakura allowed Tenten to dab at her face with a white cotton handkerchief, remaining quiet while the other girl barraged her with questions.

"Why are you crying, Sakura? And where were you going? In such a hurry too!"

"Sakura… chan…" Hinata ventured.

"… Yes?"

"Please tell us… what is the matter?"

"………"

"Sakura, we know something is wrong…"

"I…I-I… I'll explain," Sakura said, her words rendered ragged by her shaky breaths. "J-J-Just let me… get my bearings first."

"Oh alright." The dumpling-haired girl had to agree.

When Tenten had finished her task, Sakura spoke. "Must… get to Ino…"

"Alright then…" Tenten helped Sakura stand up. They walked to the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Hinata trailing after them.

"I'll explain there," Sakura promised. "Ino… she needs to hear this too, as much as you two…"

The other two kunoichis exchanged worried glances. Why was Sakura being so serious?

After a fairly long walk, they reached the flower shop. Tenten beat Sakura to pushing open the door—she did not trust the petal-pink girl to even the simplest deeds, not in her current state.

A bell tinkled as the door swung open. "Welcome!" Ino called out. "Oh… it's you guys…"

"I-I-Ino!" Sakura sniffled, her bottom lip trembling uncontrollably as tears ran down her face.

"Sakura!" Ino cried, her heart rate going up in warning, at the sight of her ex-ex-bestfriend crying. This was not Sakura, the cherry blossom that bloomed into a strong and beautiful kunoichi. This was Sakura… that unsure little crybaby that followed her around when they were younger. Ino did not like this reversion one bit.

"GAAAAH!" Sakura suddenly screamed, grabbing two handfuls of her hair and making as if to pull them out by the roots. Tenten and Hinata stepped back in alarm.

"Sakura… Sakura!" Ino yelled, taking hold of Sakura's wrists and forcing her to let go of the petal-pink locks. It had taken so long for her to grow them back too!

"THIS SUCKS! WHAT THE HELL! WHY THE HELL!" Sakura yelled, letting that secret other mind of hers, the one that truly scared Ino out of her wits, loose.

Ino pushed Sakura right unto a patch of lavender growing beside the huge glass windows. The hysterical girl stumbled backwards over the edge of the plantbox and disappeared beneath the fragrant growth. Her muffled screams soon died down.

"Ino-chan…" Hinata murmured.

"Ino!" Tenten scolded. "What in the world—"

"Don't worry," Ino said reassuringly. "Lavender is known for its calming properties. Sakura should get up from there in a few moments feeling all better."

However a few moments passed and Sakura was still hidden in the lavender, save for her sandaled feet sticking out from the plantbox. Ino was becoming increasingly nervous. "Umm… maybe Sakura-chan needs some help…" She and Tenten both reached down into the purple clumps, each grabbing an arm and heaving up.

Sakura emerged, her dress and skin soiled, her hair unruly and her body limp. She fell unto her butt with a _plop._

"Oh no—Sakura, Sakura!" Tenten grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Oh Kami-sama." she looked into the other girl's glazed green eyes and blank face. "I think she had a breakdown!"

"I've had enough of this nonsense!" Ino marched forward with an arrangement of roses. She threw the flowers unto the ground and poured the vase water unto Sakura's head.

_Splash!_

"HEY!" Sakura jumped unto her feet and glared at Ino. "What was that for, Ino-pig!"

Ino tossed her blond ponytail. "Welcome back to Earth, forehead-girl."

"Err… S-Sakura-chan…" Hinata was doing her pointy finger move again. "You had something to say to us?"

Sakura stiffened. Then her shoulders and head drooped.

Tenten got hold of her shoulders and shook her again. "Snap out of it, Sakura!"

"Yes…" Sakura took a deep breath. "You know… there's this drinking party, right..?"

Ino stuck her nose in the air. "Yuck."

"Uh-huh," Tenten look displeased. Hinata simply nodded.

"Well I… I went to check on them." Sakura's face scrunched up. "THEY'RE ALL CROOKED! UNSTRAIGHT! THEY ARE FOR _Y-A-ma nashi O-chi nashi I-mi nashi!_"

"No climax, no point, no meaning?" Tenten looked confused. **(2)**

Hinata drew a sharp breath. "Tenten-neechan… Sakura-chan meant—"

"WHAT!" Ino screeched. "GAY!"

_Ping_ Tenten blinked twice. "Eh?"

"I caught them in the act!" Sakura declared. "The touching, the romping, the words—"

"Can't be." Tenten interrupted calmly. "It could all just be a big misunderstanding."

"But I saw them!" Sakura insisted. "There's no mistaking it. I saw with my own eyes. Shino and Kiba were playing in the stream! Chouji was sleeping on Shikamaru's lap! Neji—he was all over Lee-san! And Sasuke-kun… Sasuke-kun! Sasuke confessed to NARUTO! And that dead-last idiot was pleased!"

"WHAAAT!" The other girls demanded.

Word for word, Sakura recounted the incident. **(3) **"And that's how it is…"

Tenten, Ino and Hinata stared at her dumbly.

Crickets chirped.

Then all hell broke loose.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

_Neji__ was all over Lee… He was all over Lee… All over Lee… Neji, Neji, Neji!_ "Impossible!" Tenten covered her ears from the relentless assault.

"SHI-KA-MA-RUUUUU!" It could be a trick of the light, but it seemed that flames blazed in Ino's normally blue eyes. "Why you… And you, Chouji!" _Sasuke-kun is gay too! _"Kyaaa—who cares about that Uchiha brat!"

"………" Hinata had frozen, both tiny porcelain hands covering her mouth, milky orbs unfocused.

"It's true…" Sakura wilted unto the the floor.

_He is gay! Neji and Lee! Hyuuga Neji is gay!_ "Not Neji! Not with the catterpillar-brows! No!" Tenten had also collapsed unto her knees and was shaking her head rapidly.

"You—lazy—bastard! That fatass! Over me! I'm beautiful, I'm blond, I'm an angel—and more importantly, I'm Yamanaka Ino! I'm gonna kill you!" Ino lifted the huge lavender plantbox with sheer adrenaline and hurled it out of the glass panels.

_CRASH!_

"RAAAWR!" Ino roared, going on a disorganized rampage.

"I'm sorry…" Sakura apologized. For what? She was not sure…

The blond stopped. "No…" Ino muttered, her voice deadly. "You did well, Sakura… The truth should be told."

Tenten had shut her eyes tightly, each of her fists clutching a scroll. "How… could I have been so blind!" She jumped up, both scrolls unfurling around her.

_Fwoom_

The three other girls remained very, very still as the air around them was filled with all sorts of weapons.

_Fwish__, fwish! Whirrr! Thud! Thack! Hack! Slash!_

Tenten landed lightly on the ground with a _whoosh._

Petals floated down and carpeted the floor. Every single flower in the shop was beheaded.

"Beautiful…" Ino remarked. "I couldn't have done better myself."

Hinata still looked dazed. "Neji-niisan? Kiba-kun and Shino-kun? Naruto-kun?"

Sakura hugged her knees. Such a tragedy had befallen the young kunoichis of Konoha…

_Ting-ting!_ They all turned their heads to the door as it swung open. Their eyes narrowed at the figure that emerged. _Iruka__-sensei… what have you taught them in the academy?_

The innocent schoolteacher stood at the door, wavering. _Pots smashed, broken windows, headless flowers, four furious female ninjas…_ "Do I even want to know?" He dared.

Most unwisely.

* * *

"Oww…" Iruka dragged himself on his stomach, inch by inch towards the jounin lounge. **(4)** _All I wanted were some purple and red pansies!_

"Took you long enough…" Anko stood at the door, hands crossed over her chest in a gesture of impatience.

_Kami-sama__… have mercy…_

"Iruka…" She said in a dangerous monotone. "My. Purple. And. Red. Pansies. Are. Where."

He groaned. The only purple and red 'souvenirs' he had from the Yamanaka Flower Shop were the shiny bruises and bleeding cuts, courtesy of the four most promising PMS-ing kunoichis of the new generation. "Umm… Anko-_sama_, it's like this…"

"Excuses, excuses…" Anko's coat flared about her as her temper did. "YOU PUNY LITTLE JOUNIN-NOOB! MIIAAAAAAOO!"

Wise words from Iruka's IQ-of-200 student echoed in his head. _This stinks of trouble—stinks of troubbbbbbbble!_

**(1)** Of course, I don't believe this. But Sakura would not have known.  
**(2) **Oh yes… that is the actual meaning of YAOI. How very appropriate.  
**(3)** Refer to the prologue… no use repeating it. Ehe…  
**(4)** Here, our fave sensei is now a jounin…

Vanilla Dreamz : Oh no, no, no! This is SO not a yaoi fanfic! The whole mess will be explained as the fic goes on…  
Kaeru Soyokaze : Yeah, I know! I'd burn my eyes out!  
UNKIND : Here's the update! Heehee!  
kuMI-iZ-Miii : Alright, a new chapter!  
sakura-angel113 : Hehe… It will be alright, I promise…

Thanks for the reviews!

**Author's Notes again :** Edited. Yay. :) Also, the rant (because shounen-ai/yaoi fangirls are clicking this fic which I specifically said isn't for them!): "Too many amongst your number are heterophobic online (and when it's related to anime/manga), and then homophobic in real life. When I mention that an anime/manga bishounen doesn't seem gay, I get my throat ripped. When I mention that a real-life bishounen seems gay, I get my throat ripped as well. Geez. It gets annoying. I hope to be proven wrong someday. So… you lot can start by getting off my throat. Now. I mean, whatever happened to the 'if you don't like, don't read' policy you're so fond of bashing at the faces of het fangirls who read your fics? Don't be hypocrites, please."


	3. Chapter 2: Stolen Memory Of A Kiss

**Author's Notes: **Initiate transmission: AHEM. May I just repeat for anyone who had overlooked the notes tagged upon this fanfic—this is a SasuSaku, NaruHina, ShikaIno and NejiTen fanfic, with oh-so minor parts of the unconventional KakaKure and IrukaAnko (or is it AnkoIruka? LOL) pairings. It is most definitely NOT shounen-ai or yaoi. This is not meant for shounen-ai/yaoi fans AT ALL. As a matter of fact, this goes against whatever principles the aforementioned fandom upholds. I will not be responsible for any discomfort or disgust you will feel upon reading this fanfic because I did not MAKE you read it or MISLED you into reading it. YOU chose to read it, DESPITE how I stated the nature of this fanfic. Again, this is a SasuSaku, NaruHina, ShikaIno and NejiTen fanfic. If that revolts you, I suggest clicking off this page. Thank you very much for your time. To those who are truly tuned in to our regularly scheduled program—WELCOME!

**Disclaimer: Naruto and all those related stuff don't belong to me.**

**Sakura Finds Out**

**Chapter 2: Stolen Memory Of A Kiss**

The bridge where Team 7 usually met came into view. _This is it…_ Sakura inhaled deeply and stepped forward resolutely.

There was no else on the bridge yet. Sakura allowed herself to relax a bit. This was the way she had hoped it would be—she would be the first one to arrive, therefore she would be able to choose her position freely and secure it accordingly. She would not be the one standing dumbly out of place, oh no.

She sat upon the railing at the highest point of the bridge. Elevated so she would not have to look up, and at the middle so she would be able to exit towards either side of the bridge. Perfect.

In her mind, she had played several possible courses of action she could take. Playing each scenario until the probability of its success had been determined.

First of all, there was the in-denial approach. _"Huh, yesterday?__ I did not see anything!"_ But then she did not have the acting skills for it. There was the declaration-of-war approach. _"Catfight!__ Mrowl!"_ But then both boys were physically stronger than her. There was the blackmail approach. _"If the two of you don't break it up, I'll sell your story to 'Come Come He-Man __Paradise__'!_ But then as the fool in the situation, she would become the laughingstock of Konoha. There was the guilt-trip approach. _"How could you two do this to me? You know I'm hopelessly in love with Sasuke-kun!" _But then she did not really have any more pride to spare. And lastly, there was the indecent-proposal approach. _"Sakura-chan wants to plaaaaay with you… Sasuke-sama… Naruto-sama… The more the merrier, right:wink:" _But then the mere thought caused her to lose her breakfast.

There was only one thing she could do… make it up along the way.

Naruto saw Sakura on the bridge, gracefully perched upon the railing, her long pink tresses waving with the wind. He had half a mind to turn around and find a nice rock to live under for the rest of his natural life… _NO! I will not run like a scaredy-cat! This is my ninja way! Ayt! _He nodded to himself. _Remember the plan… act like everything's hunky-dory—heheh, good one Naruto!_

"Good morning, Sakura-chyaaaan!" Naruto did a wide foxy grin and waved.

Sakura turned to face him. "Naruto…"

_Haha__—it worked!_

"… You back-stabbing jerk!" Jade orbs were replaced by hellfire and brimstone as the cherry blossom glared at him.

"SCARY!" Naruto, shrank away from her. _Eh—why didn't that work? Now what?_ He racked his head for a Plan B while the kunoichi stared him down, making him feel smaller and smaller by the second… _Plan B… B… Blank—no! Think! Ramen! No—_

_Whoosh! _Sakura hopped unto the railing, standing with one hand upon a hip and the other pointing accusingly at Naruto. "It is only now that I understand your ploy! Pretending to like me while you were actually stealing Sasuke-kun away from me!"

_WHAT!_ Naruto felt like a bead of sweat slide down his forehead. _This would be funny if it weren't me… _"Sakura-chan, wait a darned minute—"

"You're more clever than I thought," Sakura remarked. "And you've definitely got more cunning than I do. You have successfully lured my attention away from your true intentions and made me go after the visible problem—the matter of unwanted attention from you to me. I should have looked underneath the underneath and realized that shinobis usually aren't so obvious. The plan was beautiful in its simplicity and it has proven itself effective. I find that a 'congratulations' is in order. So… congratulations."

At the first of the many wordy sentences, Sakura had already lost Naruto, and he caught up again only at the 'congratulations'. "Err…" _Well, say something—you don't want to get her mad! _"Thanks?"

Sakura froze. '_Thanks' he says… there's no doubt about it then—he DID plan all of it!_ "Naruto… I truly hate you!"

"Waaah…" Naruto dropped his head. _What did I do now?_

"Naruto… I admit defeat—for now. But I promise you, if you ever, EVER make Sasuke-kun unhappy, I'll be there to take him!"

Naruto slapped himself. "AAAGH! Listen to me, Sakura-chan—that bastard is all yours!"

"Don't call him—" She was distracted by the rustling of trees overhead. "… Why don't you come down now, Sasuke-kun?"

The dark-haired avenger dropped noiselessly unto the bridge. "………"

"So… you heard everything?"

"………"

She took it as a yes. "Good." She then decided to ask the question she had been dying to know the answer to. "Sasuke-kun… Why, _Naruto_ of all people?"

Sasuke choked. _Kami-sama__… why indeed? Such cruelty…_

"I mean… he's nice, he's cheerful, he's a good friend and he's strong and although he messes up a lot, he means well… But—he's _Naruto_" She gestured about wildly, as if that explained everything.

"You say that as if it were such a bad thing!" Naruto whined.

Sakura gave him a wry look. "Uh, duh."

Sasuke death-glared him. _Idiot…_

"Look, what I'm saying is it's not going to work out!" Sakura cried. "You need a lover, not a rival! He's not going to leave everything behind for you, make all your dreams his dreams and be the one to watch your back!"

Sasuke's face darkened. _Why does she act like she knows everything?_ Sure, she may be correct, but that was not the point! "You… are so annoying. Shut up! What do you think you know!"

"… Whatever." Sakura turned and walked away. Now that would be a first—she, Sakura, walking away from Sasuke instead of the other way around…

"Hey bastard, don't you go yelling at Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted.

"Shut up idiot!"

"No, _you_ shut up, bastard!"

"No, _you_ shut up, idiot!"

"You bastard!"

"You idiot!"

"Bastard!"

"Idiot!"

_GAAAH!_ Sakura turned back to them and yelled. "You both shut up! Spare me from your love quarrels, for Kami's sake!"

"Love quarrel? Get real! Hmph!" Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and childishly stuck out his lower lip.

"Repulsive!" Sasuke raised his chin haughtily, his thin mouth set belligerently.

_SNAP! _Sakura was seeing everything through a red haze. "You two… Shamelessly flaunting… After everything… Making a fool of me… Going behind my back… The ruse…" She dropped her head and shadow passed over her eyes, hiding them from view and turning the normally flower-like girl into something sinister…

Naruto was almost afraid to breathe. "Sakura-chan…"

"Ssh…" Sasuke hissed. He too was standing very, very still.

A light bulb lit in her head. _The best-laid plans… _"Clearly I see now… All that… So… You planned that kiss too?"

_WHAT!_ Both boys furrowed their heads in puzzlement.

"Back in the Ninja Academy… That kiss…"

At her words, the two boys turned into a vivid shade of bile-green. _Urrrgh__…_

Head still turned down, she shuffled slowly toward them. "Enjoyed it, huh?"

Naruto squatted, holding his stomach and making retching sounds. Sasuke fought back the urge to run for the comfort room.

"I…" Sakura stepped towards the nearer of the two, Sasuke, who apprehensively stepped back. At that, she smirked—smirked! Sasuke gulped.

"Sasuke-kun, I will steal the memory of that kiss away from you!" _Fwip_ She grabbed him by the neck of his shirt and tugged.

"!" Sasuke's eyes widened as he saw Sakura's face coming closer and closer—he barely had time to inhale sharply before her lips crushed against his in a kiss.

"Waaaaaiiii…" Naruto's jaw hit the bridge with a _thunk_ at the sight in front of him.

_Eat this!_ Inner Sakura yelled. For once it was Sakura who thought: _Hell yeah!_

Sasuke felt his face going red… from lack of air of course. He self-consciously realized that he was staring at Sakura… his eyes fluttered shut. _Oops._ Wrong move. He became a thousand times more aware of other sensations: sweet lips, soft smacking noises, the scent of cherry blossoms, breasts pressed against his chest…

_Fizz…_

His conscious brain activity ceased and he simply stiffened, his hands twitching.

"Mmf!" Sakura broke away, gasping for air. She let go of his shirt and with his now jelly-like knees incapable of supporting his body; he melted into a puddle of shinobi goo.

_That's it!_ She glanced sideways at the incapacitated boy. No magic, no fireworks, NOTHING. _Like kissing a marble statue… but then again, he wouldn't kiss me._ She wiped her lips with the back of her hand.

Naruto had recovered. _This is it—the real thing! It's better than 'Make-Out __Paradise__!' Not that I'd know—ahem… _"Sakura-chaaaaaan!" He floated towards her, starry-eyed. "Steal the memory of that kiss away from me tooooooo!"

"Shut it!" Sakura thumped him on the head and he laid, sprawled facedown upon the bridge next to Sasuke. "That's my revenge—hot female ninja style! HMP!" She stalked off.

She had just spent her first kiss on a guy interested in _Naruto_ She needed something sweet, sticky and chocolate. NOW.

* * *

"Eh?" Kakashi's visible eye blinked. Both his male students were lying on the bridge facedown, each with a pool of blood around his head.

He grabbed a handful of Sasuke's raven hair, pulled his head off the ground and examined the boy's face. A thin stream of blood was running down from his nose. "………" Kakashi licked a finger and touched it against Sasuke's forehead. _Fssssh_ "Ooh, hot…" The jounin kicked the chuunin, dumping the latter into the stream.

He turned to Naruto and touched the other boy's head. Nothing. "He'll be fine…" Shrugging, Kakashi pulled out a book entitled 'Make-Out Violence Special' and read as he walked away. _Sakura is suspiciously absent… If this incident had anything to do with Iruka's incident yesterday… I'm not involved._

**Author's Notes again :** … Eck. The original idea was to make Sakura 'steal' the kiss from Naruto. A friend of mine agreed… Y'know, just to make things even crazier… and also to spark that usual Sasuke-Naruto rivalry thing… However… I just could not do it to Hinata-chan! I know the kiss would have made more of a point if Sakura 'stole' Naruto's instead of Sasuke's, but I'm sorry—this is Hinata-chan we're talking about!

**Regarding Reviews!** May I just say that I am quite surprised by the overwhelming amount of feedback, despite my accepting only signed reviews. I guess I should have expected this, since 'Naruto' is such a popular, on-going series. I find it scary, in a way, but it's also nice. I'm actually getting outright flames. Whoo. But there are many positive reviews that encourage me. This fanfic actually gets an audience! **_Maraming_****_ salamat po._** Thank you very much. I have replied to the reviews but I do not wish to encroach upon this fanfiction's space. If you would take the time to click on my Author's Profile Page, in the Status Report Section there is a link that will take you to the page with my replies if you wish to view them. I'm sorry for the inconvenience.


	4. Chapter 3: Stinks Of Trouble

**Author's Notes: **I apologize for the delay! You see I was lost on the road of life and then my path was blocked by a ton of final exams and final papers, and other 'final' stuff that comes with the sem-ending period:hides: Believe me—I'm not doing a Kakashi! Anyway, this one is for you, ShikaIno fans:cheers:

**Disclaimer: Naruto and all those related stuff don't belong to me.**

**Sakura Finds Out**

**Chapter 3: Stinks Of Trouble**

Shikamaru opened his right eye… slooooowly.

A shaft of sunlight streamed through the gap where the curtains for his window met and fell right upon his sensitive eye.

"………" _Oww..._

He closed his right eye and was about to drift off to sleep again when he heard his mother yell: "SHIKAMARUUUUUUUUUU!"

"… Damn."

He heaved himself off his soft, invitingly warm bed and shuffled towards his closet. He changed into a moss-green V-neck shirt, black fishnet undershirt, loose black pants and regulation ninja sandals. He swung his door open just as his mother went into one of her tirades.

"ALWAYS SO LAZY, NEVER MOTIVATED, YOUR INSTRUCTOR ALWAYS WORRIES—"

_Geez__… Why can't my mother be one of those sweet and silent types? _Shikamaru grumbled as he walked past the kitchen, that well-honed nagging voice filling his ears. _This woman should be a Sound nin… tch…_

"I'm leaving now…" Shikamaru said, not really caring whether the troublesome woman heard him or not.

"What!" She burst out of the kitchen, a water bottle in one hand and a large bento in the other. "You haven't even had breakfast yet! I'm not letting you out of this house until you eat something, young man! Take these—"

"Alright already…" Shikamaru took the food and drink from his mother to silence her, rather than out of a desire for nourishment. Under his breath, he muttered: "Geez."

He headed for the front door, yawning. It never really dispelled his perpetual sleepiness but it was the effort that counted. Mid-yawn, he was interrupted by a rough voice.

"Ah, there he is. You can ask him yourself, Inoichi."

"… Oyaji?" Shikamaru glared suspiciously at his old man and his old friends. What did that troublesome Ino's father want with him? And why were these old men in the Nara living room, drinking sake in this ungodly morning hour?

"Come here, Shikamaru. Inoichi wants to ask you something." Shikaku gestured for his son to approach their group.

"What?" Shikamaru inquired, none too politely.

Yamanaka Inoichi took a swig of sake then fixed a bleary eye at Shikamaru. "What happened _–hic-_ between you and my daughter?"

"W-W-Whaaat!" Shikamaru stuttered, feeling an extremely troublesome blush creep up his cheeks. "What… Ino… I would never… whatever…such trouble—"

"Are you alright?" Shikaku asked him puzzledly.

"Yeah!" Shikamaru answered too quickly. To Inoichi, he said: "I don't know what you're talking about." _Safe!_

Inoichi sighed. "Ah… I was so _–hic-_ sure you had something to do with Ino-hime's mood. When _–hic-_ I came to the flower shop yesterday, I found her there with the remains of _–hic-_ our entire inventory."

Shikamaru gulped. "Re… mains?"

"Yeah…" Inoichi took another drink. "Every single flower… _-hic- _… beheaded and then mutilated some more… Ah…" He shook his head mournfully. "It's bad for business… Kaachan got angry _–hic-_ at me."

"Aah…" Shikamaru felt cold sweat running down his forehead. _Ino__… Could Sakura have… No way, she wouldn't… Who am I kidding, of course Sakura would tell Ino! _"AGH!" He suddenly turned his head heavenward. "Kami-sama, this is so troublesome!"

Shikaku regarded him doubtfully. "Are you _sure_ you didn't do anything to Ino-chan?"

"Of course I'm sure!" Shikamaru shot back defensively. "Why does it always have to be me?"

Inoichi shrugged. "Because you're her teammate?"

"Chouji's her teammate too, y'know…" Shikamaru looked pointedly at his best friend's father, Akimichi Chouza, who had until now been silently stuffing his face with pork barbecue.

Chouza smiled, much too knowingly for Shikamaru's liking. "Everybody knows that you can get to Ino-chan in ways that Chouji can't."

Again, that troublesome flush tainted his cheeks. "Pft. Whatever. I'm leaving now…"

"Well if you two did have a fight, say sorry to her, alright?" Inoichi called after him. "Have some sympathy for _your_ Inoichi-oyaji!"

Shikamaru shuddered violently at Inoichi's words. The three old men chuckled at his obvious discomfort.

"Che!" Shikamaru spat.

* * *

Shikamaru leaned back on the bench where Team 10 usually met and stared at the clear blue sky. _A cloud that looks like a deer… Happy and free…_

Why could he not be like the clouds—free from troubles?

He spotted another cloud shape beside the deer. _A cloud that looks like a boar… A very fierce and troublesome boar…_Shikamaru blinked. _Did that boar-cloud just rip apart that deer-cloud?_

Suddenly, he felt like he did not want to look at the clouds anymore.

He heard footsteps and felt a very familiar chakra approaching.

_Crap._

Ino stopped in her tracks when she spied the form sitting on the bench. Her eyes widened, then softened, then finally, turned to angry slits. "Shi-ka-ma-ru!"

"………" Shikamaru turned to her with a blank expression on his face. He felt much more frightened than he looked and he would have shown it too, if it were not too troublesome to make the appropriate facial expressions.

Ino took a deep breath. _Keep your cool. You promised you wouldn't lose your head—again. _It had taken a lot of fibbing to explain the mess of maimed flowers at the flower shop yesterday. She was sure it would take so much more than that to get off the hook if it were Shikamaru she would maim now. Of course, it was very tempting…

"Shikamaru…" Ino began in a deceptively calm voice. "Guess what Sakura-chan told me yesterday? She had seen something… and it wasn't very nice. Did she really see what she think she did, and wasn't under some horrible genjutsu?"

Shikamaru sighed. "Ino, you really shouldn't believe everything people tell you."

Flames burned in Ino's eyes. "Are you accusing my _best_ friend of being a liar?"

_Shit._ Shikamaru mentally slapped his forehead. "No, I'm just saying that Sakura shouldn't readily believe everything she sees."

"Oh, really?" Ino said sarcastically. "So now she's crazy, is that it?"

_Damn, is there no getting out of this?_ "… No, I didn't say that."

"What were you saying then?"

Shikamaru chose his words carefully. "Sakura saw what she saw. Sakura's version of what she saw is but one interpretation of what she saw." He smiled inwardly. Even troublemaker Ino would not find fault in that statement. Or so he thought.

"Good grief—stop talking in riddles, genius!" Ino yelled.

_I have the right to remain silent. Anything I say can and definitely will be used against me by this crazy woman._ Shikamaru held his tongue.

"Are you, or are you not in some… er, _inappropriate_ relationship with a certain butterfly fat-ass?" Ino demanded.

Shikamaru could not help but grin smugly. "Who's being obscure now? Heheheh—kyaaa!" He kicked as Ino lifted him clear off his feet. He was taller than she was, but she held him above her head by the front of his shirt.

"Just answer the question, Shika-baka!" Ino growled.

"No!"

"What, you dare oppose me?" Ino shook him and he made strangled noises. "Answer my question!"

"I just did, geez!" Shikamaru choked out.

"You did not!"

"I said 'no'!" _Damn you…_ He wanted to add.

"No?" Ino looked thoughtful. She set Shikamaru down on his feet and he rubbed at his chafed neckline, glaring at her.

"So… you're not _with_ Chouji?" Ino clarified.

"No."

"So… you're not gay…"

"No."

"So… you really didn't put Chouji on your lap and give him massages and—and stuff?"

"Well, I did—"

"Then you ARE gay!" Ino cried angrily.

"NO!"

"LIAR!" Ino screamed and threw a hasty punch, which he easily evaded.

"For Kami's sake…" _I am SO misunderstood!_

"You lying bastard!" Ino grabbed some shuriken from her holster and threw one after another at him.

"Ino, listen _(dodge)_ to me! You're _(dodge)_ being ridi- _(dodge) _-culous!"

"Me, ridiculous?" Ino snarled. "I'm not the boy who got all cozy with another boy and then claims not to be gay!"

"What does a guy have to do to get the chance to explain himself?" Shikamaru griped.

Ino looked at her watch. "Alright, you have three seconds."

"Dammit!" Shikamaru cursed. "You're so troublesome!"

"Time's up."

"Whaa—the hell!"

Ino crossed her arms over her chest belligerently. "I'm going to tell everyone about this… the jounin-senseis, the elders, Godaime Hokage-sama! I'm going to have you guys expelled from the ninja-hood!"

Shikamaru frowned. "Actually Ino, there's no rule against homosexual ninjas—"

"Oh SHUT UP, genius!"

"No really, what practical reason would there be to ban them from the ninja-hood?"

"WELL FOR ONE—umm… er…" Ino scratched her head. _What harm would it do Konoha to have gay shinobis… really? _She stole a glance at Shikamaru who was eyeing her with a lazy expression on his face. _Aside from pissing off the kunoichis who think they're hot… especially with that black fishnet—what am I saying? _She shook her head. _I meant Sasuke-kun is hot… yeah…_

"Well, Ino?" Shikamaru drawled.

"WHAT!" Ino growled.

"Your sensible reason for wanting gay ninjas banned?"

"Umm… I…" Ino sweatdropped but then she quickly recovered. "I can't think of any right now, but I'm sure there's something in the ninja way handbook, so there!"

"Pft," Shikamaru huffed. "You're making absolutely no sense."

"SHUT UP!" Ino yelled. "Going behind my back like this—you little sneak! And you call yourself a ninja!"

_Isn't that what ninjas do? Sneak? _Shikamaru sighed.

"How _dare_ you embarrass me like this?" Ino hissed.

_Embarrass… you? _Shikamaru snapped. "Hang on—_I_, embarrass _you_? That's rather difficult to swallow, considering it came from _the_ Sasuke-baka."

Ino stiffened. _I know I do look like an idiot insisting on chasing after Sasuke considering it's obvious the only female name he even knows is 'Sakura'… But for Shikamaru to insult me like that… _"What the hell… did you just say?"

Shikamaru gulped. _I'm in for it now… what a pain. Well, one grave to go. How would you like a tombstone with that?_ "You embarrass me too, going after Sasuke, who doesn't even know your name…"

Ino fumed; smoke almost literally leaking out from her ears. "Oh yeah, you probably found him hot too, like Naruto did!"

"Kami-sama—you just can't let that homo-idea go, can you!"

"Oh, I'm sorry—I'm _so_ sure that any kunoichi would just 'let it go' when she finds out her teammates—who also happen to be her long-time best family friends, are getting _waaaay_ too friendly behind her back!"

Shikamaru shook his head in disappointment. Ino may be troublesome, but she was one of the most accepting people he knew… which was precisely the reason she made friends with the weirdest people like him, Chouji and the younger Sakura. It was not like her to discriminate against somebody based on gay-ness or none-gay-ness! "You're unbelievably narrow-minded. I thought better of you…"

"I'm throwing that back at you… _I_ thought better of _you_!" Ino cried, tears of frustration sparkling in her cerulean eyes.

"Tsk," Shikamaru turned his head away from her. Then he looked at her sideways. "Why does this bother you so much anyway, Ino? So what if I was gay?"

"!" She was caught off-guard by his question and was even more surprised to find herself blushing. _Why are you so bothered, Ino?_ "That is because…"

_Blushing… Ino? _"Because?" Shikamaru prompted, staring penetratingly at her. Without realizing, he held his breath. _The answer to that question… I have to know… aah, how problematic!_

"Because…" Ino looked at him and she flinched at the intensity in his dark gaze. "Don't look at me like that!"

"Answer my question, Ino!"

"I…"

"So what if I was gay? Why do you care so much?"

"It's because… It destroys the pride of the Leaf Shinobi…. Especially in my case since you're on my team and all that…" She replied half-heartedly.

"Oh, yeah?" Shikamaru's eyes still bore through her. "Why don't you go bother Sasuke then? Shouldn't he be the one you would bother about this?"

"I don't care about him, it's you I'm worried about!" Ino yelled.

_Freeze._

Tumbleweed rolled by.

Then someone finally managed to recover their voice. "Why me?" Shikamaru asked breathily. "Why do you care about _me_?"

_What's this lazy bastard saying… I don't care about him, I care about Sasuke-kun! _Ino blinked in disbelief. _Wait… I did just say that I don't care about Sasuke-kun and I cared about him. _Her cheeks burned. _Why do you care about Shikamaru, Ino?_ "Shikamaru… I…"

"… Yes?"

"I…"

"… What?"

"I…" _This is so embarrassing! Hey, wait a minute—why am I the one who has to say anything? He's the man here! Or at least, I _want_ him to be the man here…_

"Ino…"

A vein popped in her forehead. "Well, if you have to ask, I'm not telling! Hmph!" She crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her nose in the air.

"What the hell kind of reason is that!" Shikamaru crossed his arms over his chest as well and looked away, miffed.

"I'll make you regret this, Nara Shikamaru!" Ino swore. She stomped off, raising mini dust clouds on her way.

Asuma chose that moment to appear. He looked at Shikamaru, then at Ino's retreating form, then back at Shikamaru. "What's with her?"

"Being herself?" Shikamaru answered half-heartedly.

The jounin looked around. "And where's Chouji?"

"Saving his own fat ass…" Shikamaru muttered through gritted teeth.

Asuma looked at him doubtfully. "Shikamaru… would this have anything to do with Iruka's accident yesterday, at the Yamanaka Flower Shop?"

"Agh…" Shikamaru threw his head back in despair and squinted at the clouds. "Stinks of trouble!"

**Author's Notes again :** Not quite funny I guess, and not even fluffy enough (or not fluffy at all?) to make up for it! Aii… my apologies… I know ShikaIno is probably the pair with the highest humor potential and I didn't quite live up to that… But… ne, it's not that bad:nervousgrin: Anyway next up would be a NaruHina chapter… and that probably won't be funny at all—but at least it WILL be fluffy… somewhat. :sweatdrops: I'm never really quite sure how much fluff to include since I don't think I do very well with a lot of fluff… Oh well, please stay tuned! (BTW… you might be asking, 'where is Chouji?' I say, 'you'll see.')

**To my reviewers! **At the risk of sounding overly dramatic—I REALLY LOVE YOU PEOPLE:sob: I know the idea of this story is really weird, so I didn't expect such enthusiastic readers… It just really makes me happy—that people appreciate my work, and more importantly, people are willing to explore unconventional ideas and give them a chance! Thank you! (I got too lazy to put the replies in a different page…)

**moonlightpath** I'm glad you liked that! I hope you enjoyed this Ino chapter as well. **Venatrix** I'm relieved you found that the characters so far are still quite in character… Ah—I hope the next chapter won't change your opinion! Naruto and Hinata will be up next… I must admit, I was quite stumped by those two… I hope I will get it right, or at least, not mess it up! **scorpion05:** It was something I could see Naruto doing, hehe. The ones we encountered so far remembered, _:hint__, hint:_. I'm sorry you didn't see Ino kill Shika—yet? LOL. **Phoe-chan**LOL, I love the 'fizz' too. Thank you. This is cool, one of my fave authors reviewed. :grins: **Kaeru**** Soyokaze:** Bwahahahah… The extent of Sakura's unawareness is quite amazing… _:hint__, hint:_ 'Stealing the kiss' was a good way to make a point methinks… and an excuse to give Sakura some sugar I guess, LOL. **Lone Sakura:** Oh my! I will try to lessen the confusion factor next time… although that would be difficult because this fic IS all about confusion! **meheeners** Aren't you glad you're not the only one:big grin: Ooh, I am a HUGE Kakashi-sensei fan! **MommyRogers** Thank you! I dare not call it brilliant (though it feels good that you did, LOL) but it's quite clever if I may say so myself. **animelover12344:** I will do my best! As for the other girls… oh, they each have their own way… :grin: **kuMi-iZ-Miii** Crazy? I'm a club member too, LOL! Oh yeah… I do love the Naruto guys, but I love the girls so much more… and having them male-bash is just SO much fun! **theSkyisPurple** That makes me feel that I am actually accomplishing what I wanted to with this story—something refreshing with a bit of humor. **angel-puppeteer** Yup, I am a Filipino! Hello, _kababayan_! Thank you… I really agree, let us support each other and do our best! Well, I must admit that I dislike SasuHina… although I could consider it as one of my secondary couples if they would at least talk in Part 2… :sweatdrops: I guess that's my problem with SasuHina (and NejiSaku)… a good idea, but no canon interaction. I'm fine with it as a plot device, not as an ending couple I guess. Again… thank you for your support. **SasuSakuforeva-iloveSasuke** Did you like the 'stolen kiss'? (LOL, cos I did…) Sakura won't be in the next couple of chapters, I hope you're not too disappointed. But it will be a chance to see the other girls though! **firstnexusII** I guess this is really the kind of humor for those who are a bit crazy. :sweatdrops: Anyway, I do respect your opinions and ideas, and I do understand why you are picky about humor. Summer for me is just around the corner, so I'll be able to update the fic you actually follow, and perhaps churn out some more. Thank you for your time. **Vampire Toy:** Oh yeah… get revenge, and get a kiss! LOL! **starry-eyed**** angel:** Thank you! I hope you will continue reading this fic! **harukakanata** Aiyah… I hope you can wait for the Tenten chapter, as she will have to come out in the chapter after the next. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed Ino's chapter! **Pandora The Vampire:** Oh of course! Expect quite a bit more chapters after this one! **Hatsukoi**** no Mamouri:** YAY! I guess I really do have the right to say that this fic's idea is quite unusual. You don't have to beg… I am privileged to serve this fic to the readers! **Lila Paige Rose:** I'm a sucker for my ships of choice and people who support the ships I support, LOL! So, no need to thank me:grins: **AnimeSenko** I'm happy to hear that! I hope you liked this chapter as well! **Kagome1015:** Your first review had me worried that you hated it! I'm relieved to see you smiling! **Ckeffer** I assumed you meant 'insanity' in a good way—thanks! Seeing that this one got its share of support, I really am quite motivated to do more work!


	5. Chapter 4: Salty Ramen

**Author's Notes: **OMG! Don't you guys just love the filler arc! I'm glad that even though Kishimoto is being very, very mean to my beloved ships right now (except maybe, NejiTen), the anime team is being very, very nice! I love them. L-O-V-E T-H-E-M. And I'd like to believe that Kishimoto would've whipped their asses and stopped them from putting in all those fanfiction-like-moments if it would cause confusion later (if he were to make different ships happen later on). I mean, I'd find it hard to believe he'd be letting the anime team do that if it were mangling his work. So, I BELIEVE! At the very least, we can say it's canon in the anime.

**More Author's Notes: **Okay… I'm really sorry for the delay. Those who would've read my notice (before it got taken down) would have known that my PC went flunky on me, so I had to go around replacing files that I lost and I felt really horrible and I lost some of my writing including what would have been a huge part of this chapter and I had to take some time… Anyway, this is the long-overdue NaruHina chapter, which won't really turn out funny, but it's not that bad, since they're adorable anyways! This chapter starts off with the beautiful Niisan—enter Neji!

**Disclaimer: Naruto and all those related stuff don't belong to me. Only them plots do.**

**Sakura Finds Out**

**Chapter 4: Salty Ramen**

Neji had never been more embarrassed in his life.

"Neji-niisan…" Neji's cousin, Hinata, was saying. "I'll always have the deepest respect and filial care for you, despite, uh… despite _this_…"

Neji had tried everything. He had narrowed his eyes, he had glared, he had given her his most intimidating white-eyed stare. He had hissed, he had shouted, he had gnashed his teeth. He had activated the Byakugan and got into the stance for the 128 strikes. Still, Hinata never wavered. She insisted that they talk about Neji's _feelings_. More specifically, what Hinata's idea of his feelings were, which weren't accurate at all. Which was why he was stuck with the soft-spoken Hyuuga heir on the top of Yondaime's head in the Hokage monument, instead of looking for a certain dumpling-haired weapons master. _Damn that Haruno!_

"Hinata-sama," Neji muttered through gritted thread, clutching desperately at the frayed ends of his patience. "For the last time, I am not repressed, I do not have any inclinations of the kind you are suggesting, and I am most certainly not…" He coughed, unable to even say the word. "Not the kind of person Haruno has told you I am. It was all just a—"

"Neji-niisan, shh." Hinata held out both her palms in an appeasing manner. "Say no more. I told you, you don't need to hide anything from me."

"I am not hiding—"

"We are family, Neji-niisan." Hinata brought both hands over her heart and smiled serenely. "Families accept each member for exactly the kind of person they are."

"There is nothing to accept—"

"Of course!" Hinata nodded vigorously. "There is nothing wrong with you, I wasn't implying that. I was merely saying that you're different and your differences don't make you any less of a person to me."

"I'm not different—"

"Oh, how could I forget!" Hinata clapped her hands together. "You are not so different of course, you have friends who are going through the same thing; Kiba-kun, Shino-kun, Shikamaru-san, Chouji-san, Sasuke-san, N-Naruto-kun, and your dear Lee-san."

"He's not my _dear_—"

"So you see, Neji-niisan, you shouldn't be so worried! I understand you perfectly, and I'm sure others would be able to do so as well, given time… Well, some would need more time than others, like Tenten-neechan—"

"T-T-T-Tenten!" _Why am I the one stuttering? _"Tenten's heard that idiot Haruno's misinformation!"

"Now Neji-niisan, let's not insult Sakura-chan," Hinata said reproachfully.

"Tenten heard?" Neji repeated, ignoring Hinata's words.

"Well, yes, Tenten-neechan heard—no Neji-niisan, don't jump!" Hinata grabbed both his arms, preventing him from jumping off the Hokage monument. "This is not the way to deal with your issues, escapism never solved anything—"

"I wasn't going to jump!" Neji spat. Hinata gave him a dubious look. "Alright, so I was going to jump, but only so I can go off and look for Tenten, now let me go!"

"Not until you promise me that you won't hurt yourself!"

Neji growled in frustration. "Hinata-sama!"

"Ano sa, ano sa—why are you killing yourself, Neji?"

"N-N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata clapped her hands over her mouth, abruptly letting go of Neji.

"Hey—" Neji toppled out of sight, plunging headfirst to the ground far, far below.

"Neji!" Naruto shouted after the falling Hyuuga, while the other one behind him was rapidly reddening. "You shouldn't try to kill yourself, you know! Geez, that guy…" Naruto scratched at his blond head.

"T-T-That's what I've been… been try-ing to tell h-h-him." Hinata squeaked.

"Eh?" Naruto turned to her, as if just noticing her presence for the first time.

"I-I-I said, t-t-that's what I've been trying to tell him!" Hinata squeaked again.

"Him? Oh you mean Neji!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Y-Yes!"

"Ahh…" Naruto nodded in an all-knowing manner. "What have you been trying to tell Neji?"

A bead of sweat slid down Hinata's forehead. "I mean, I've been trying to tell Neji-niisan that he shouldn't kill himself."

"Oh!" Naruto's blue eyes finally reflected comprehension. "Yeah, he really shouldn't try to kill himself. Although, I can't blame him—what must people be saying to him now—Neji, the great genius _gay_ Hyuuga! Bwahahahahah!" Naruto guffawed, clutching his stomach.

Hinata bit her lip. "… It's okay."

"Bwahahah—eh, what did you say, Hinata?"

"I said… It's okay… with me… whatever Neji-niisan is," Hinata said quietly.

Naruto stared at her for a few moments, while she grew even redder. Hinata fixed her gaze to the floor, unable to sustain contact with his eyes. She twiddled her fingers. When she looked up, Naruto was grinning at her.

"Really, Hinata? That's really nice of you."

Just when it seemed Hinata couldn't turn a more vivid shade of crimson, she did.

Naruto sat on the edge of Yondaime's head and stared at the horizon. Hinata swept her white-eyed gaze across the expanse of blue sky, and the line of trees and buildings that met it. This boy… he wanted it all, he wanted to protect it all, and he wanted to be acknowledged by all… But with this new _unconventionality_ of his… Hinata bit her lip. _Oh Naruto-kun, everything is going to be even more difficult for you!_

"N-N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata murmured.

Naruto continued looking at the far-off distance; it didn't seem that he heard her.

"N-N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata ventured again, louder this time.

"Oh, huh?" Naruto turned to her. "What is it, Hinata?"

"Um… uh…" Hinata twiddled her fingers. "I… I wanted to ask, that is—what are you doing here, Naruto-kun?"

"Ah." He smiled at her. "I came here to think. I do that, when I have a lot to think about, because it's quiet here. I can't think well when it's noisy, probably because my brain isn't too good." Hinata was about to tell him not to put himself down, but he continued talking. "I like to think that Yondaime will be able to send some kind of spirit message for me, to help me, the future Hokage!"

Hinata's heart warmed at this. "I see."

"Yeah, I do that here." Naruto said. "But since you're here—"

"Oh!" Hinata looked down. "I-I see, I'm sorry for intruding, I'll just leave…" She quickly turned away and started walking across Yondaime's head to the part that slid down unto his shoulder, when Naruto grabbed her wrist.

"Wait! I didn't mean it like that, Hinata. Not at all!" She looked back at him and found him scratching his head. "What I meant was, since you're here, I thought maybe we can go to the ramen shop together?"

A flush crept from Hinata's neck up her face. Her eyes were wide with disbelief. "R-R-Really?" She breathed.

"Y-Yeah," Naruto stuttered. He noticed that the normally pale girl's face was tinged with a rosy color and it… well, frankly it made her look cute. Really cute. He felt himself blush, and he looked away from her, fixing his gaze at the top of Tsunade-baasan's head. "Well you see, there's no one to go with me, Sakura-chan is really angry at me, and I don't where the hell he has gone, that Sasuke-bastard." He didn't see Hinata wince at this.

"So," Naruto turned back at her. "Let's eat!"

Hinata touched her trembling lips. _It's real… Naruto-kun is inviting me with him._ "Y-Yes!"

* * *

The walk to the ramen shop was quiet. Naruto tried to engage Hinata in a conversation several times, but she usually just smiled or said a couple of words in reply.

_I wonder if Hinata is angry at me, just like Sakura-chan is…_ He stole a look at the silent Hyuuga, her pearly eyes fixed at the dirt road they were walking on. _Of course she is, Sakura-chan told her, so now she's angry at me. Angry and disappointed… _He swallowed a lump in his throat. Hinata had acknowledged him when no one else would. He didn't want to let her down. _I'm just going to tell her what really happened. She's not like Sakura-chan, she'll let me explain—_

"This is it, isn't it?" Hinata had stopped, and pointed at Naruto's most-loved stall.

"Yes! RAMEN!" Naruto's previous thoughts were shoved out at the prospect of miso ramen. He held Hinata's hand and pulled her with him. "Come on Hinata!"

"Oji-san!" Naruto called to the shop owner.

"Oh, it's you Naruto!" The owner smiled fondly at Naruto. "What will it be today—oh!" He leaned forward and blinked at Hinata, who took a step behind Naruto.

"H-Hello!" Hinata whispered.

"What a cute girl!" The oji-san exclaimed. He grabbed Naruto by the neck and rubbed his knuckles against the blond head. ("Hey!" Naruto yelped in protest.) "Why you, you didn't tell me you had a girlfriend!"

"O-O-Oji-san!" Naruto blushed to the roots of his golden hair. "It's not like that! Hinata, I'm sorry, this old man says a lot of stupid things…"

Hinata noted his embarrassment. _Of course… it's difficult enough for him, Naruto-kun's real identity right now. He wouldn't want to make the wrong impressions._ "A-Ano…" Hinata stepped forward and bowed courteously. "I'm Hyuuga Hinata. I'm Naruto-kun's friend from the Ninja Academy."

"_Hyuuga_?" The owner's normally chinky eyes became round. He rubbed Naruto's head more vigorously. "You really hit the jackpot, boy!"

"Oji-san!" Naruto extracted himself from the owner's hands. "Geez, you've got such weird mind, you old man…"

The owner laughed. "You're blushing, what cute little kids you are. Anyway, what will you have?"

"I'll have a miso ramen!" Naruto said, sitting down. "Make that two miso ramens! What will you have, Hinata?"

Hinata sat down beside him. "Umm… Is there shrimp ramen?"

"Well, we're out of shrimp, but that's okay, Ayame can just go and buy some, right Ayame?"

"Yup!" The ramen-girl piped up.

"Oh no," Hinata shook her head. "Please, don't bother, I'll order something else."

"That's okay," Ayame assured her. "The seafood stall is just a block away."

"B-But—"

"Naruto's girlfriend will have her shrimp ramen," the owner declared with mock seriousness. Both Naruto and Hinata blushed again.

"Oji-san, she's not my girlfriend!"

A few minutes later, three bowls of ramen were set in front of the teenagers. Naruto handed Hinata a pair of chopsticks and he broke apart his. "Itadakimasu!"

Hinata delicately sipped her first mouthful.

"Do you like it?" Naruto asked.

"Yes," Hinata said. "Even though it's a bit saltier than the ramen we usually have at home."

"We can water that down, take away the saltiness," the owner offered.

"No, it's okay." Hinata smiled. "It's different, but it's not bad."

Naruto nodded his approval. "Eat up!"

Hinata ate quietly, in contrast to Naruto's loud slurping. They both looked up when they heard a voice call: "Naruto-kun! Hinata-san!"

"Hey, Thick-Brows!" Naruto waved at Lee enthusiastically.

"Lee-san…" Hinata raised a hand in greeting.

"I'll see you!" Lee called out, as he jogged past them. "Got to meet my team!"

Naruto turned back to his ramen (he was on his second bowl now) but Hinata followed Lee with her eyes, now cloudy with concern. "Neji-niisan…"

Naruto's ears perked at this. He remembered what he had to tell Hinata. "Well Hinata, about Neji—"

"I'll stand by him no matter what," Hinata said firmly.

"But not everyone is going to be like you," Naruto said. "They would be quick to judge him. And they won't believe him when he tries to defend himself, saying he's not really gay."

"He wouldn't have to," Hinata declared.

"Not to you, of course." Naruto said. "But other people will believe what they hear."

"You can't blame people for believing the truth, Naruto-kun." Hinata said.

Naruto blinked. "Hinata? You don't actually believe that Neji's like that, do you? Because the truth is—"

"Don't, Naruto-kun." Hinata shook her head. "Don't try to hide the truth because I can accept it."

"But I'm telling the truth!" Naruto insisted.

Hinata stirred her ramen, but she was looking at Naruto. "I'm going to do my best to understand Neji-niisan."

Naruto dropped his chopsticks into his half-eaten ramen and turned his attention completely to Hinata. "Hinata, this has to be clear because Neji is a cool ninja, I mean unlike me." He flashed his fox-like smile. "If I turned gay who'll care, eh?"

"You're what?" The owner shouted. Ayame gasped.

"Mind your own business!" Naruto yelled. Both looked away quickly.

"I will!" Hinata suddenly cried. "I'll care."

Naruto gaped.

Hinata covered her mouth with both hands. Now resembling a red choo-choo train (complete with steam pouring out of her ears), her eyes widened slowly, her panic mounting at having said what she just said.

Naruto leaned towards her, his ramen forgotten. "You will?"

Hinata shrank back, turning her white eyes away. Still clutching her chopsticks, she touched her hand to her mouth. Then unexpectedly, determination settled upon her delicate features. Her resemblance to Neji was striking. Hinata squeezed her eyes shut and cried: "… Yes! I will!"

His wide blue eyes unblinking, Naruto stared at her. Then slowly, slowly… his face broke into a grin, with his eyes squinted to prevent wayward moisture from leaking out of them. "Thank you, Hinata."

Hinata took deep, calming breaths, just as she had been taught by her father during Byakugan training. She fiddled with her chopsticks. "Naruto-kun, it will matter to me, because…"

"Hmm… why?"

"Because…"

Hinata could feel tears collect at her lower lashes. Unable to stop them, she closed her eyes again. _It doesn't really matter, does it? Whether I tell him or not… it won't make a difference. Because the one he likes is Sasuke-san, if he likes boys, he won't ever like me… It won't make a difference, so I might as well—_

"Yes?"

_Might as well—_

"Because I…"

_Might as well—_

"What is it, Hinata?"

_Might as well!—_

"I really like you a lot, Naruto-kun!"

_—Say it!_

"I knew it!" The owner cried in the background, but neither Naruto nor Hinata noticed.

"W-What?" Naruto sputtered. "Hinata-_chan_, you—"

"I know, Naruto-kun!" She cried. "I will never be the person you will like! Especially not while Sasuke-san (here, both the owner and Ayame made choking sounds) is there, Sasuke-san who is much braver, stronger and better respected than I am. Everybody acknowledges him, and you must really like that…"

"But that bastard—"

"Like that! Even if you call him names, you get angry at him and you want to defeat him… it is all about acknowledgement. You want him to acknowledge you, don't you?"

"Well, yes!" Naruto nodded. Hinata's shoulders drooped. "But—"

"Everybody wants to be acknowledged by the person they admire the most. I do too… I wanted you to acknowledge me. I fought Neji-niisan with all I had, in our first Chuunin exams, even though I knew I could never have defeated him. I've trained myself so that I can be stronger… to be acknowledged…" She turned back to her ramen. A tear escaped from underneath Hinata's lashes and slipped down her cheek, dropping into her already salty ramen.

"Hinata!" Naruto cried in alarm. "Don't cry, please." _I haven't ever seen her cry, except when she was fighting Neji, and back then, she didn't let any tears fall…_

"That you care about everyone… I admire that so much." Hinata wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her jacket. She smiled at him. "But don't worry about me, Naruto-kun. These tears, they are… they are tears of happiness, I am happy for you, now that the person you admire acknowledges you."

Naruto scrunched his face in frustration, even though Hinata couldn't see it, not with her eyes closed. "But Hinata, you've got it all wrong—"

"You don't need to hide your real self from me, Naruto-kun," Hinata said. "You and Neji-niisan, you will never have to hide anything from me."

"Well that's nice, but—"

"So, stop—stop trying to hide the truth from me." Hinata wiped at her eyes again. "Just as Sakura-chan will always like Sasuke-san… I will always like you, Naruto-kun."

"Then why don't you—"

"And I'll continue watching you, because seeing you happy makes me happy too." Before Naruto could stop her, she stood up and ran away.

"Hinata!" Naruto stood up too. "Hinata! HINATA! If you like me, why won't you let me talk? HINATAAA!"

He was about to run after her, but the owner grabbed him by his collar. "Don't, Naruto. Let her alone with her grief for a while." He shook his head sadly. "You can't hold it against her. Poor girl, she's so cute but the boy she admires the most admires another boy—"

"I don't admire Sasuke-bastard!" Naruto yelled.

Ayame whispered loudly: "He must be in denial…"

"I'M NOT IN DENIAL!" Naruto screamed. "It was just a misunderstanding!"

"Oh," the owner scratched his head. "Really?"

"Yes!"

"Ahh…" The owner said. "Why don't you finish your ramen and then you can tell me about it?"

Naruto nodded. He slurped his now-cold ramen. Somehow, it tasted saltier—like teardrops have fallen into it. Naruto threw down his chopsticks.

"This really sucks!"

Overhead, a crow flew by cawing what sounded like: "_Ahou_!_ Ahou_!"

**Author's Notes again :** That ended on a rather sad note, didn't it? Don't worry, it won't last! To those who wanted to see Hinata stuttering all the way, I'm sorry… I like how Hinata acts when she has something to say (like during the fight with Neji), she can get wordy too, which goes to show she's not as much a pushover as most people think she is! I'll try to get the NejiTen chapter up in a week, to make up for the lateness of this one. (Of course, 'try' is the operative word.)

Thanks for getting this fanfic past the 100-review mark!

**RedLotusNin**** and IceHunterNin: **Yup! ShikaIno rocks!** moonlightpath: **NejiTen is next, I promise!** animEvivvErz: **I'm glad _you_ stumbled upon this piece! Always happy to have new readers!** Pandora The Vampire: **Thanks much!** Ckeffer: **Eek… I hope I did your favorite pair justice. Anyway, I'll make up for it later!** Venatrix:cringes**: Uh-oh, I think I'm gonna get it from your frying pan of doom…** Rhythmic: **Yeah, Ino really should come to terms with her feelings!** meheeners: **Ooh, I saw your picture! I love it so much, and also that NejiTen picture you did, with them wearing different clothes! XD** evilballon: **I sure will!** ahnigurL: **Thanks for your patience!** hibiyuru: **Yeah, I got flamed… it's okay, I don't mind, really. You can't please everybody. Thanks for your comments!** Aitashiaku-kawaiiSasuSakuAi: **Haha, yeah, what if Sakura _did _kiss Naruto? XD Ooh, after this, it's NejiTen!** R e c R a p t o r: **Hinata has confessed! Poor girl though, she's heartbroken…** Kumii-cHan: **Yeah, I'm crazy! XD Hinata has accepted Naruto with open arms (and with a broken heart, aww).** Kagome1015: **Thanks for reading!** xRogueyx: **Haha, yeah, it would have been crazy if Sakura kissed Naruto!** Vanilla Dreamz: **Hinata has already confronted Neji… and Neji will confront Tenten next!** Ayuka-chan: **Oo Err… well, not really. What would you do in the same situation, ne?** fascinatrix femina: **Because they hate het? LOL. Don't worry, there will be more moments for all pairs down the road!** Sevetenks the Ultimate F: **I will try my best.** MisSs005: **Thank you, I'm glad you think so!** Icygal237: **Yeah, it's crazy, ne?** understar: **Ooh, thanks! Yeah I know, I mean, I actually like some yaoi, I just hate ones that are truly pointless. That doesn't make me a homophobe! Down with hetphobes!** harukakanata: **Yep, it's truly difficult. Heehee—Lee! We will see him in the next chapter!** AmberFox and Lyell: **Thank you so much for the tip!** Mystery Case: **I'm glad you found this refreshing!** Punk sasuke: **Wee, hope you're enjoying the fic!** lilkidz: **Err… no, he isn't actually gay, it was a misunderstanding!** Riona 11: **Well, I do plan to finish this, since I've already outlined it and all that. :)** ToMoYo129: **Yup, I'm Pinoy! NejiTen up next!** complexity66: **Yeah, poor Shikamaru. And next chapter, it's poor Neji!** Tenshi no Hana-chan:giggles**: Yeah, I know. We really can't blame Sakura-chan for her reaction.** Snow Wind: **Oh, you mean Ino confessing to Shikamaru? Her pride's hurt, it's difficult for her to stoop lower!** Lady Misao: **I feel honored, I really do, thank you!** hikaris' angel: **Well, next is Neji going to Tenten, and Lee will make an appearance too!** Krissel Himura: **Yup, I'm Pinoy! _Galit__ ako sa_ hetphobes, at yes, _may mga_ gay real-life bishounen, _sayang_!** paccificgirl: **Thanks, I don't want to make promises, but I'll try to update faster!** dipstick1: **Thanks. I actually don't want to judge, but I'm just sick of them hypocritical hetphobes. I mean, I like yaoi too—but ones that make sense, and most importantly, canon.** Onna Ooji: **Of course I'll keep writing!** Taski: **Thanks! I hope you keep on reading.** Keskio: **I'll try not to make the wait so long next time!** lover-boy-18: **There'll be more of everyone later, but the next chapter has to be NejiTen-centric!** jeano: **I'll try! XD** Sakuranime: **Theoretical situations are a lot of fun to play with!** KawaiiIchigoNeko: **Thank you, I will!** Mimiru-Sama: **Aww… a ShikaIno kiss… I'll see if I can do something about that!** Ruriko89: **Thank you, I do feel the love!** SS Viper5: **Yep, I feel bad for the girls, and Hinata is especially sympathetic, but yes… it will all work out in a crazy way!


	6. Chapter 5: Swing, Swing, Swing

**Author's Notes: **It seems that this is the most awaited chapter! NejiTen! Finally! Anyone watched the latest episodes? If our serious NejiTen tagline is "Setting the Caged Bird Free" (or something to that effect), then our light-hearted tagline is "Quench Your Thirst". XD (Although I saw this really cute NejiTen icon that said: "When in doubt, pinky out." Heehee!)

**Disclaimer: Naruto and all those related stuff don't belong to me.**

**Sakura Finds Out**

**Chapter 5: Swing, Swing, Swing**

If Neji didn't know better, he would have thought that his cousin was trying to kill him and just pretended to be serenely accepting about the whole stupid misunderstanding. He flicked his perfect hair. Good thing he was like, the number one ninja in the village (definitely better than Uchiha Sasuke), or he might really have died from the fall. As he was so good, he came out a bit battered, but he had simply dusted himself and pulled out the leaves from his hair, and emerged looking as perfect as always, bruises on his pale skin thankfully hidden by his clothes.

He continued making his way to the practice area he shared with his team. He knew the way by heart and knew it was just straight ahead.

_Thud! Thud! Thud!_

It was the most familiar sound of kunai finding their marks on an unfortunate dummy. Carefully, Neji peered through the bushes and into the clearing.

Arranged in a half-circle were seven dummies, six of them looking more like deadly weapon pincushions than rough representations of the human body. Neji would bet that there wasn't any space for one more kunai, shuriken or needle in any of those unfortunate models.

The dumpling-haired weapons master—er, mistress—turned to her seventh and last victim. She whipped out two scrolls from her pouch, placed them on the ground, formed a series of familiar hand seals and cried: "Soushouryuu!"

Mesmerized by the way the two scrolls unfurled and twirled in the air and the way Tenten jumped—flew—through the interlaced scrolls, Neji watched as she danced, touching each symbol in the scrolls which turned into weapons that she would then throw at the dummy.

_Thud!_ Heart. _Thud! _Throat. _Thud!_ Right shoulder. _Thud!_ Left knee. _Thud!_ First thoracic vertebra. _Thud!_ Forehead—in the middle of the curse seal.

_Curse seal?_

Wait a minute.

Beige shirt, black pants, long black hair, white eyes, green curse seal **(1)**… Neji gulped when he realized he was staring at the rough representation of a very familiar human.

_Thud-thud! _Right eye, left eye.

If the detailed costume the very creative Tenten made for the dummy didn't make its supposed identity clear, then the huge nametag around its neck certainly did. In sparkly purple ink it said: "**HYUUGA NEJI!"**

_Thud! Thud! Thud!_ Three successive hits to the groin. Neji instinctively covered the Hyuuga pride with both hands.

When Tenten landed on her feet, the dummy was just as unidentifiable as the rest. However, she seemed to have saved the best for last.

"Not yet!"

She jumped in the air again and as she floated downward, she spread out her hands and pulled the strings attached to each of her fingers. Neji's mouth formed a silent _O _of horror when the weapons were wrenched off the rough representation of himself.

"Hiyaah!" Tenten cried, swinging the weapons towards—

_Thud-twack-bang-slam-shtick-thudthudthudthudthud!_

Neji's face was locked in an expression of utter distress as his hands were locked protectively over his most precious biological endowment. He didn't think that Tenten focusing all the weapons at that point was a mere accident.

She was panting when she alighted gracefully, though Neji suspected it was more out of extreme emotion—say fury—rather than fatigue.

He exhaled the breath he had been holding for quite some time, slooooowly. It was obvious that Tenten was busy training, right? Therefore he shouldn't disturb her, right? He could always talk to her next time, like tomorrow, right? Or maybe the day after that, or a week after that, or—he mentally applauded himself for his genius—he could tell Gai that he was going to resign from the ninjahood and ask Hiashi-sama if he could change his career into something more spiritually fulfilling like joining the ascetic monastery in the distant mountains of Yuki no Kuni. Right?

Right! Neji tiptoed backwards, away from the clearing. As he made a step, a bead of sweat that had been gathering on his temple slid down his cheek, down his jawline and dropped towards the ground….

_NOooOOoooOOOooOoooOOOooooO__…_

_Ting!_

"Who's there?" Tenten whipped around, her eyes zeroing in the direction Neji was situated.

Neji kept deadly still, leaning against a tree. He was covered by the bushes and branches thick with green leaves, leaves that symbolized Konohagakure's protection for every member of its family, as long as he kept still, the leaves would protect him, he would be safe—

_Whizzzzzz__... thud!_

Neji's breath caught when he felt cold steel sliding past his neck and a severed lock of his silky black hair falling to the ground.

"I know you're there, Neji. You better come out!" Tenten threatened. "And bring me my kunai too."

With much difficulty, Neji extracted the kunai from the tree. How Tenten had managed to stick the entire blade through its hardwood trunk, he'd probably never know.

He approached until he was at arm's length away from her. "Here." He held out the kunai, handle-first. Tenten clutched the handle and he carefully removed his hand from the blade, so as not to cut himself.

The brunette twirled the weapon in her hand. She stepped, stepped, stepped… moving around him. When she made a full circle, she stopped, pivoted on her toes to face him and pointed her kunai at him. "Hyuuga Neji!"

He met her burning gaze directly, with carefully blank eyes.

"You are a liar, Hyuuga Neji. And a coward." Tenten declared.

"………"

"You needn't have minced words."

"………"

"And you say we are friends…"

Neji couldn't bear it anymore. He looked down, in an attempt to hide the guilt that was so clearly written on his features.

Only Tenten and Neji knew. A few months ago, she had confessed that she liked him—that she liked him, liked him a lot, and yes, definitely liked him _that_ way. Neji had said: "I can't commit myself to a romantic relationship. However, you are my closest friend… _forever_." And Tenten accepted that.

"You're a liar and a coward. And you're certainly not a good friend." Tenten said. "Why didn't you tell me your real reason? Did you think me to be so narrow-minded?"

"Tenten…"

"Why?" She demanded.

"Because…"

"Because you think I was going to get angry, is that it?" She shook a fistful of kunai at his face. "Well, you really did make me angry, Neji, _because you didn't tell me_!"

"Tenten—"

"What is wrong with you?"

"Noth—"

"You won't even talk."

"Well you—"

"At least give me an excuse!"

"………" Neji sighed.

"Kyaaah!" She shrieked, a hand clasped around his neck as she pushed him against a tree. Her breath came in puffs out of her moist lips, her apple cheeks were flushed a deep red, her buns were dangerously close to unraveling and the top clasp of her pink cheongsam was straining with every breath she took. Neji gulped. Tenten was unaware of these things. She just glared at him with an intent to kill. Or worse.

Neji's hands were moving toward that part of his body that Tenten seemed so intent to injure, when he realized he couldn't because—his pale face burned—she had closed the space between them and her body was pressed against his.

At the back of his head, he wondered if this was the kind of thing to be found in Hatake Kakashi's 'Make Out Violence' books.

"Why?" She whispered, and all 'making out' thoughts were pushed out of Neji's head as he looked down at her, at her deep brown eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Tenten…"

"Have I ever been anything less of a true friend to you?" More tears collected at her lashes and despite the hand around his neck, and the hand with a set of kunai, he raised his hand to wipe them away—

"Don't touch me!" She snarled, gnashing her teeth.

Neji froze. Was she going to kill him?

His pearly eyes widened in surprise when she let go of his neck and dropped her kunai to the ground. She retreated a few paces and dropped her gaze to her feet. A finger pushed against her invitingly strawberry-colored lips. Was that sheen the 'lipgloss for youthful beauties like my dumpling-haired buttercup' Gai gave her for her birthday? He wondered what it tasted like.

His mind was about to list possible ways of test-tasting when she looked up at him again. "Neji…"

"..." He leaned forward slightly, her voice was so faint.

"That's the reason isn't it?" She spoke gently, wanting to coax the truth out of him. "You rejected me because you're gay?"

"No Tenten!" He shook his head vigorously, inciting a hair moment that could dominate shampoo sales the world over. "That's not it."

"Then what is?"

"I'm not—er, like that, Tenten."

"Really?" She stepped towards him. Her eyes looked like a fawn's, so brown and innocent and trusting… Neji moved closer, slowly, not wanting to drive her away…

"Yes…" he whispered.

"Okay…" she breathed.

Trumpets blew from high heaven! She believed him, anyone could tell from the expression on her face.

"But then…" her eyes became cloudy and Neji tensed. "Why?"

"… Why?"

"Why _Lee_?"

Neji choked. "Tenten—"

She broke into sobs. "Is it me, Neji? Is something wrong with me?"

"Tenten—"

"Is it because… I'm not girly enough?"

"What gave you that idea?" Neji groaned, but she wasn't listening.

"Are you saying…" she gasped. "That _Lee_ is more feminine than I am?"

"Tenten—"

"How dare you!" Tenten pulled out a morning star **(2)** and swung it, gaining momentum.

_Crash!_ The heavy ball crushed the tree Neji was standing in front of seconds ago.

"Tenten!" Neji yelped (yes, yelped). "You're working _(crash)_ some twisted log_—(swing)_ logic here! _(crack)_ There's nothing wrong _(crash)_ with you, and as for _(whoosh)_ Lee, well…" Neji shuddered. "Why are we even discussing him—woah!"

_Crash!_

"Come over here, Neji!" Tenten growled. Her hair had come undone, flowing in waves around her **(3)**, and her straining shirt clasp… Neji kept his eyes on the morning star.

He shook his head rapidly. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because…" he almost felt like whimpering. "You're going to kill me…"

She dropped her head and a shadow passed over her eyes. "Is that really how you see me?" She said quietly. She shook. Neji was sure her rage would explode any minute when she threw the morning star away (plowing down yet another unfortunate tree) sank to her knees and wept.

"Waaaaaaah!" Tears gushed out of her eyes and she wept broken-heartedly. Neji nearly banged his head against the nearest tree. Just what the hell was happening?

"Neji… _-hic-_ you're so mean… _-hic-_ I just want… _–hic-_ just want to talk to you _–hic-_ and you say such things _–hic-_ how can you be so cruel?"

He cautiously stepped towards her. "Tenten…"

When he was standing just beside her, she looked up at him and said: "Do I look like a killer to you?" Her deep-brown oculars widened to their biggest and tears trembled upon her thick lashes. Her delicate looking hands were clasped over her heart, over her chest which was heaving with emotion, straining her cheongsam clasp again, and her lips were in their interestingly rosy, dewy state again. One really can't accuse such an innocent-seeming, gentle-looking creature of heavenly beauty to be a killer, no?

He dropped to his knees. "Tenten…" He reached out for her but she leaned away, avoiding him.

"No…" she stuck out her (interesting) lower lip. "If I come near you, you might think I want to kill you."

He made a frustrated noise at the back of his throat. "Alright already, sorry."

She sat, tucking her legs underneath her, crossing her arms over her breasts and turning her back to him. "Gee, Neji, you don't have to. I wouldn't want anyone to think that I threatened you just to apologize to me." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

Neji sighed. "Look Tenten, I'm really sorry." He slumped into a sitting position.

"Hmph!" She tossed her hair and it rippled around her. It was one of the few times he had seen it loose; dark brown tresses that reached below her waist. His hands felt cold and they shook. Before he could stop himself, he had touched her hair with a hand and ran his fingers through it.

Tenten stiffened. "What are you doing?"

To which Neji replied dumbly: "Soft."

She looked at him over her shoulder, baby deer eyes tentative. "You think?"

He nodded.

It seemed that he finally said something right because her eyes softened and she moved to face him. "I'm sorry too."

_For trying to kill me?_ Neji nearly said, but he bit his tongue.

"I guess I didn't really react like much of a friend, huh?" Tenten murmured as she inched closer, ending up sitting between his legs. She clasped both of his cold hands in her warmer, smaller ones. All his blood rushed to his face. She squeezed his hands. Steam puffed out of his ears. She unconsciously caressed his hands, coaxing warmth back into them. He gulped at the air—would he ever be able to breathe normally again?

"Oh Neji, I shouldn't have acted that way!" She bit her interestingly rosy, interestingly dewy lip. Her warm brown eyes had captured his pearly eyes again.

"I've been so violent…" Tenten dropped his hands, and moved her fingers to his hair. She let out a quiet moan of horror. "What have I done to your hair?" She stroked the sliced piece of hair. She gave a choked cry. "And your neck—it's bleeding!"

It was only now that he realized his neck was stinging from when Tenten threw a kunai at his hair. "It is?" He brought up a hand to touch it, but Tenten beat him to it.

With her mouth.

The chakra veins around his eyes popped from sheer surprise. _(Byakugan Open!)_ He felt her sucking on his wounded neck as one would suck on a cut hand **(4)**, only this wasn't his hand, this was neck! She held him close as she tended his wound, and he could feel her against him. He felt his whole body stiffen and shut down just short of a dead faint, his eyes fluttering shut, his arms fell around her and he fell on his back, pulling her on top of him.

"U-WAAAAAAAH!"

Neji's eyes flew open (Byakugan activated again) and he turned his gaze to the noise. Lee was standing at the edge of the clearing, both hands against his red cheeks, eyes wider than usual. "It's the mutual explosion of hot-blooded youthful desires!" Lee blabbered excitedly.

"No, Lee!" Neji griped, trying to sit up. "You've got the wrong idea!"

Tenten delicately spat out his blood. "Huh?" She looked from Neji, to Lee, then back to Neji.

"Such fiery objections!" Lee's eyes were blazing animatedly. "I think you protest too much!"

Neji was swinging his hands in a negative gesture. "No Lee! It's not what it looks like!"

"Well!" Tenten cried, scandalized. "Must you reject that idea with such forcefulness?"

Neji rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "Tenten—"

Lee was dancing. "You've let your hair down, Tenten!"

"Are you drunk?" Neji yelled. "Keep still for one damned minute!"

"But you and Tenten—"

Neji roared. "I told you, it's not—" His words were cut off when he had to evade several of Tenten's kunai. "Tenten!"

"Why are you being so defensive about this?" She demanded. "Why do you protest so much at what Lee is saying?"

"Tenten—"

"The nerve!" She sent eight shurikens flying towards him.

Neji twisted and turned in the air to dodge her weapons. "Tenten!"

"Oh the energy of youth!" Lee cried.

"Shut up!" Neji yelled.

"Why, Neji?" Tenten pressured. "Could it be—" she gasped, shuddered, her tresses bouncing from the shock.

"Uh-oh…"

"I knew it!" Tenten shrieked. "You lied to me! You ARE gay—and with that jumpsuited guy!" She sent a handful of needles flying towards him.

"Tenten!"

"Kyaah!" She sent more kunai his way. Neji was finding it more and more difficult to dodge.

Lee scratched his head. "Did I come at a bad time?"

"Yes!" Neji hissed.

"Er," Lee retreated. "I'm leaving then!" He might be dense, but not dense enough not to know when he should leave before he got skewered.

"No!" Tenten cried suddenly. Her shoulders drooped and her weapons fell harmlessly from her hands.

"Tenten…" Neji stepped towards her, arms held up in a defensive position.

"Tenten?" Lee scrutinized her. "Are you alright?"

"I give up!" Tenten yelled. "I can't do anything about the two of you now, it's impossible to break you up." She sniffled, and wiped her eyes.

Neji slapped his forehead. "Tenten…" What is with her sudden mood swings?

"You stay here Lee," Tenten sobbed. "I should be the one to leave." She grabbed the weapons she had dropped and stuffed them in her pouch and holster. Neji hurriedly picked up the weapons scattered around him and handed them to her.

Her eyes filled with tears when he held out her weapons at her. She cried and jump towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck. The weapons clattered around them.

"I can't help it! I like you too much!" Tenten sobbed.

Neji gave in to the urge to enfold her in his arms. "Tenten…" He had it all figured out now. He _tsked_ in exasperation. "Is it that time of the month? Because if all you wanted was medication, you could have asked—"

"Gyaah!" Lee crouched in fright.

Neji stepped away as Tenten's hair flew around her in a blaze of flames. "HOW DARE YOU PRESUME THAT MY LUNAR CYCLE CONTROLS ME! ORYAAAH!" She caught Neji under the chin with an upper-cut that sent him up and halfway across the clearing. "KONOHA DAISENPUU!" She spun in a kick that caught him in the groin. Neji banged against a tree, and flopped down on the ground.

Never let it be said that the weapons mistress can't fight empty-handed when she wanted to. She _was_ Gai's student after all.

Tenten dusted her hands. "Such male insensitivity!" She stomped off, leaving the clearing. "There, I'm leaving you two lovebirds to discuss your future! Hmph!"

Neji stared after the kunoichi, his vision blurred from the pain. Such power worthy of the Hyuuga Clan. Their line would have geniuses such as the Hyuuga have never known before! Pity they were never going to have any children now.

**(1) **I'm going by his Part 1 costume but changed the shorts to PANTS. Because goodness, why are Neji and Sasuke wearing shorts anyway!  
**(2) **One of those flail things with a spiked ball hanging from it. Very dangerous.  
**(3) **Let's pretend her hair is wavy. If nothing else, keeping her hair braided all the time will crimp it.  
**(4) **I always thought this practice was disgusting, but my roommates claim that something in the enzymes stops the bleeding. :shrug: I still think it's disgusting, however, it seems to be a practice in the shinobi world… Take note, Tenten was not taking advantage of him, she was really just trying to help. XD

**Author's Notes again :** PMS!Tenten. (Or actually, it's MS.) I don't quite know why NejiTen turned out so, well, touchy, this chapter, probably because they're older than the other ninjas. Next chapter is... chaos, more or less. :grins: Well, don't forget to review, even you account-less readers, I've already turned on the option for unsigned reviews. Just make sure to inspire me. XD  
**Author's Plug: **For those who also read more serious, un-funny fics with NejiTen, SasuSaku, NaruHina and ShikaIno, that includes much-loved but long-dead pretty characters like Haku and Kimimaro as semi-major characters, and are AU but still set in the shinobi world, please check out my other fic, "Between Light and Darkness". :)  
**Author's Request:** As some of you might know, I have a C2 for the lovely couples of Naruto (SasuSaku, NaruHina, ShikaIno and NejiTen). Unfortunately, the Naruto section is really much too big for me to sift through by myself Please, if anyone is interested in working as a staff member, contact me, or even if you don't want to commit to such a thing, but you have fanfic recommendations, please tell me about them.

**Byakugan13: **Yep, woot for NejiTen!** mendokuse na: **Haha, yeah, too bad the NejiTen 'moment' was very private!** RedLotusNin and IceHunterNin: **Of course it will work out! (I'll never make the girls of 'Naruto' unhappy!)** animEvivvErz: **And the new arc has Neji and Tenten! And this chapter has them too:dances:** Shinta Azechi: **Well, uh, I updated now! E-heh!** AmazinGSensatiOn: **I had Hinata try to accept them because I can't see her getting angry for that reason. (Can you?) :) Oh, I'm certainly learning to ignore the rudeness. You can't please everyone after all!** The Gandhara: **I normally don't fluff a lot, but the fluff was promised, after all, it's NaruHina!** Yachtzee: **Well, here's the NejiTen chapter!** Neo Natsumi: **Of course I will continue it!** NaruHina113: **Yeah, I can see from your pen name that you really like NaruHina:)** nhil: **Gomen for the lae-ish update. At least it didn't take me more than a month! (Just shy of it!)** Warfles: **Aww, thank you:accepts muffin and trophy with pride:** pei-chan: **Yeah poor Hinata, and stupid male shinobis indeed! (Especially Sasuke, as will be revealed later!)** TsuneKunoichiNoAme: **I'm glad you thought it was cute! It wouldn't have been right, to have a non-cute NaruHina chapter!** paperpenman: **Yeah, why didn't you review it before? Heheh. As for SasuSaku, well, there'll be more of them later. They are the main pair after all!** Onna Ooji: **Sasuke got the kiss, but he won't be covering. I can't see him trying to beg like the other guys! But there will be more of Sasuke… with Sakura!** Iridescentbutterfly: **Because the couples rule! Yosh!** Green Tea Leaf: **Thanks, I will try!** Jays Arravan: **Aww, Hinata's just plain cute for me. Although I did aim to make her annoying towards Neji.** angel-puppeteer: **Yeah, ShikaIno is great! (Just like the other couples!) :pats: I hope you catch up with your schoolwork.** amwong88: **Heh! You are… I will make no comment about your guess! XD** Chibi Togiretogire Tenchi-hime: **Woah! Breathe:) But I'm glad you found it so funny!** lover-boy-18: **Tenten is having a red flag day and reacted accordingly. Ehe! Yup, watch out for that explanation!** chairomori: **Thanks! I'm really terrible with the update speed, but I'm glad readers are still reading the fic!** YingYang-chan: **Aww… but why? You felt sad for Hinata?** Ophy Nextell Woman: **Oh, I love all the Konoha girls, so I'll include them in all my fics!** Pandora The Vampire: **Yeah, at least Hinata confessed. Raise the ShikaIno flag! And the NejiTen! Yosh!** MisSs005: **Well, poor Neji especially!** Aitashiaku-kawaiiSasuSakuAi: **Hinata is just as hurt as the rest of the girls, but she's not angry. However, she doesn't want excuses!** LunaLoca: **Ah, there are a lot of well-written conventional couples fics, it's just there's a lot of… everything else in the archive too. :sweatdrops:** Uchiha Tsakare: **Yeah, and they're going to need one heck of a good explanation!


	7. Chapter 6: I'll Be At Your Side

**Author's Notes: **Alright, I haven't updated in a while. You know the deal, real life got in the way, etc. I'd rather get to the fanfic proper than elaborate. So… I do love my ships, but what about those four Konoha boys who are ship-less? I love them too, so this chapter will feature a bit of them… but will feature the ships too. And as I said the last time, this chapter will have chaos.

**Disclaimer: Naruto and all those related stuff don't belong to me.**

**Sakura Finds Out**

**Chapter 6: I'll Be At Your Side**

Every customer watched the central aisle of Ichiraku Ramen's expansion tent, as the drama unfolded between one of the best ninja teams Konoha has ever known.

"Shino-kun…" The Hyuuga heiress turned to the Aburame progeny and lightly clasped one of his hands. "Kiba-kun…" She turned to her other side, to the young Inuzuka, took his hand as well. "Both of you are like brothers to me, and I will forever support you… especially now that you need friends the most, I'll be at your side…" She placed their hands together and smiled a gentle, understanding sort of smile.

Kiba's face was an ugly tug-of-war between disgusted and touched, and the visible parts of Shino's face were tinged with green. Beside Kiba, Akamaru made whining noises.

"Oh…" Hinata saw Tenten, Ino and Sakura walking towards Ichiraku. Deciding it wasn't wise to be seen with two of the 'traitors', she smiled at her teammates again. "I will leave both of you now… together." She left to meet the other girls.

Shino and Kiba immediately swiped their hands away. Kiba made gagging noises and spat at his hand, rubbed it at his jacket vigorously, then Akamaru spat on it and he rubbed it again. Shino looked down at his hand, which was completely covered by bugs in seconds. Both boys grudgingly sat down again at the table which they shared with Chouji and Lee.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid…" Kiba muttered, glaring over his shoulder at the four girls who were talking excitedly and glancing at their table with suspicious looks. Akamaru crouched low to the ground, and made a very low and soft growling sound as he watched the girls.

Chouji said nothing, and merely shoveled ramen into his mouth. Lee was gulping down a large bottle of nasty-looking tonic, holding his nose between his fingers. His sleeves were rolled up, showing a lot of tiny bruises on his arms.

"Stupid," Kiba growled at the unoffending taijutsu specialist. "No matter how much you drink, your tenketsus won't open. You'll have to wait it out unless Hinata or Neji open them for you."

Lee brightened up. "That's right! I shall ask Hinata-san to come to my aid!"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you… Lee," Shino muttered, pushing his sunglasses up his nose. "Hinata is with the other kunoichis right now, and I have heard that they have been particularly… vicious."

"If Tenten is any indication…" Lee sighed.

"_(chomp, chomp) (swallow)_ Why don't you ask _(chomp)_ Neji?" Chouji asked.

Lee brightened up again. "That's right! I shall ask Neji to come to my aid!"

"That could work…" Kiba began, then he thumped Lee rather hard on the head ("Ow!" Lee cried), "If Neji wasn't the one who shut your tenketsus in the first place!"

Lee slumped on the bench. "You're right, I suppose."

"Geez," Kiba grumped. His nose twitched when he sensed a whiff of four scents coming closer. Each scent was linked to the other, but very, very distinct: strawberries and cherry blossoms with sugared cream, pure vanilla, citrusy roses, honey and sandalwood. He turned. Sakura, Hinata, Ino and Tenten were coming closer. They sat at the table connected to the boys'. Sakura was right beside him but acted like he wasn't there. Hinata gave him a small smile while Ino bared her teeth at him. Tenten was fingering a handful of kunais and giving the boys rather calculating glances.

"Shit," Kiba muttered.

"It would seem that we are in a very dangerous position," Shino remarked.

"Why thank you, genius, I couldn't have figured that out myself!" Kiba snarled at his teammate, leaning over the table to better bare his teeth.

"Oh look at him, isn't that disgusting?" Ino whispered audibly to the other girls. "Cozying up to Shino in such a public place."

Tenten and Sakura nodded vigorously. "His 'youthful explosion' is worse than Gai-sensei's," Tenten said.

"No sense of propriety whatsoever," Sakura added.

Shinobis attracted more attention that ordinary folk, and kunoichis get even more attention—people in the surrounding tables were listening to them. Kiba gritted his teeth. _Dangit, now everyone else will think I'm a flaming fruit!_

"They might hear us," Hinata warned, looking cautiously at the boys, especially at Kiba, who had turned a furious shade of red.

"So what?" Ino snorted. "What would they do if they did? Kill us with _Dai-Okama no Jutsu_ **(1)**?" The other tables buzzed at her words, and there was some scattered laughter. Kiba's patience snapped.

"That's it!" He growled, jumping on the table. Chouji and Shino immediately jumped on him. The Inuzuka clawed at the table, trying to reach the girls, but Chouji and Shino clutched him too tightly.

"Are they doing it already?" Sakura snorted, regarding the boys' forced yet necessary closeness with much disdain. "Don't think we can't match that! We'll hit you with our _Shoujo-Ai no Jutsu_ **(2)**!"

The smirk on Sakura's face showed that she obviously expected the boys to find the prospect much to their distaste. Kiba's eyes widened and, in a breathy voice reserved for such questions as 'Is there such a place as heaven?', asked: "_Shoujo… Ai_?"

An unearthly silence settled over Ichiraku, and Kiba could swear that every ear attached to a human male in the vicinity was twitching. Eyes bulged when Tenten, delicate fingers splayed gracefully, snaked her arm around Sakura's waist… very, _very_ suggestively. **(3)**

Blood spurted from Kiba's nose. He wasn't the only one: boys and men from the other tables in Ichiraku had a similar reaction. Chouji blushed and looked away. A dangerously flushed Lee cried a strangled 'Tenten! Sakura-san! Youthful power…' before falling off the bench. Shino simply stared.

"Just kidding," Sakura said flippantly.

Tenten smirked. "We know that won't really work on you guys… er, gays… whatever you are."

"Of course it would! We would be disgusted! We really would be!" It was all Kiba could do not to exaggerate to bolster his lie.

The girls looked at him doubtfully. Kiba wanted to slap himself for ruining what could have been a perfectly good opportunity, when Shino spoke: "Of course it wouldn't work. How can such a cheap trick work on us? It would take much more than that to disgust us." There was just the right amount of doubt and false bravado in those words.

Tenten, Sakura, and Ino exchanged mischievous glances. "Well then," Ino pulled Hinata closer to her. "We'll see just how much you can handle!"

"Must we really, Ino-chan?" Hinata asked, twiddling her fingers. Sakura's hand traced Tenten's cheek.

With sparkly eyes, Kiba turned to Shino. '_You're a genius!'_ he tried to tell his teammate without words.

"EWW!" He heard Tenten, Sakura and Ino cry. Even Hinata coughed. "He's making goo-goo eyes at Shino!" Kiba could feel practically everyone in Ichiraku eye him suspiciously.

His teammate turned to him. '_You're an idiot' _was probably what the Aburame progeny was telling him through those dark glasses.

"We can't win at this," Ino muttered, her disgust evident.

Sakura shook her head. "It seems that way. They're too lovey-dovey. You should have seen Sasuke-kun and Naruto with that love quarrel…" She looked around. "Hey… where are Sasuke-kun and Naruto?"

Hinata got a hurt look on her face. "Naruto-kun must be with Sasuke-san…" There came a collective gasp from the unwanted audience and the sound of a lot of female bodies falling on the floor in a dead faint.

"And Shikamaru isn't here…" Ino turned her blazing eyes to Chouji who cowered. "What are you doing clutching to Kiba like that? Can't you see he likes Shino? How dare you cheat on Shikamaru—and after he chose you over me—how dare you?"

Kiba roughly pushed Chouji away; the fat-ass was too shell-shocked to complain. He was murmuring: "Ino saying Shikamaru chose over her… like it mattered?" A huge grin spread on his face.

"What are you smiling there for?" Ino growled, snatching a pair of chopsticks from the tumbler on the table and breaking them apart. Chouji gulped.

"Sorry for taking so long," Ayame appeared behind Chouji, smiling. "The shop's really busy, and… anyway, what can I get you?" Chouji ducked. A pair of chopsticks whizzed by Ayame's ear and impaled the wooden tent pole beside her. Smile still intact, but with a good amount of sweat beaded on her forehead, Ayame said: "Okay, I'll come back later."

"Ino-san, you really scared me," Lee said, crawling back unto his seat. "I thought you were really going to hit Chouji-kun."

Ino grabbed the remaining chopsticks from the tumbler and in her grip, they all cracked into splinters. "I missed."

Lee gulped. "Oh."

"Well, what are you doing with these guys, Lee?" Tenten taunted, kunais flashing as she skillfully twirled them in her hands. "Lost Neji, haven't you?"

"We parted ways not too long ago," Lee replied eagerly, looking happy that he was on speaking terms with one of his teammates again. "For which I'm not too discontented. He was so rough with me that my tenketsus all closed! Tenten, why is your mouth hanging open like that? And you too, Sakura-san—and Ino-san and Hinata-san."

_TWANG! _Tenten stabbed her kunais through the table. "What… did you say?"

"I said he was so rough with me that my tenketsus all closed." Lee looked round at the gaping girls. "Kiba-kun, Shino-kun, Chouji-kun, what do you suppose is wrong with them—hey, where are you guys going?"

"Idiot," Kiba muttered. "Woof!" Akamaru barked. Both clung to each other and at the tent pole, high above everyone else.

"Lee, we're friends, but a growing boy's first duty is to his health." Chouji pulled a camouflaging blanket over himself and his bowl of ramen, and disappeared.

"………" Shino pushed his shades up his nose, watching Lee from under the table.

Tenten jumped high and reached in her holsters, but came up empty-handed. "Huh?"

"Bwahahahahah!" Kiba crossed his eyes at Tenten. "Looks like you've spent all your weapons on your tantrums!"

"Don't get cocky, Puppy-chan!" Tenten reached in her belt bag and pulled out two handfuls of bombs. There were shrieks from some customers and not a few of them ran out of the shop. "Take that!" Tenten threw one handful at the wide-eyed Lee and the other at the horrified Kiba.

"Tenten, my dear friend, are you attacking me?" Lee cried.

"WAAAAH!" Kiba looked around desperately for cover, but there was none to be found at the top of the tent.

_BANG! BANG!_

Tenten landed gracefully on her feet. "Hmp,"

Lee coughed a cloud of ashes, exclaiming: "Always on target!"

Kiba and Akamaru landed on the floor with a splat. "Ow."

Satisfied, Tenten took her seat again. "Great move, Tenten!" Ino cried. Sakura laughed and high-fived Tenten.

"Um, yes…" Hinata murmured.

"You better tell those girls to leave Ayame, before they destroy the shop!" The owner told his daughter.

"Tousan, those girls will kill me!"

"No they won't, you're a girl too!"

"No, I still want to live!"

"Oh, customers, go ask what they want!"

"Tousaaaaaan!" Ayame cried when her father pushed her towards the chaotic tables.

Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru and Neji walked in and sat at the other boys' table. Naruto scratched his head, eyeing the passed out Kiba, the sooty Lee, and Shino, who was still hiding under the table. "What happened to you guys?"

"I don't want to know," Sasuke muttered, glancing at the smugly smiling girls. Neji nodded.

"Where's Chouji?" Shikamaru asked. Ino's eye twitched dangerously.

"I'm here," Chouji said, pulling the blanket off himself.

"Is this a quadruple date?" Ino screeched.

"I will not dignify that question with an answer," Shikamaru drawled. The girls gasped. "What? What did I say?"

"I don't want to know," Sasuke repeated.

"Then it's definitely true," Ino muttered. The other girls nodded in agreement.

"H-Hello, g-g-girls and boys," Ayame squeaked. "What are you having?"

"Miso ramen," Sasuke and Naruto said at the same time. They glared at each other.

"Copycat!" Naruto cried.

"Unoriginal idiot," Sasuke hissed.

Sakura and Hinata exchanged meaningful looks; Sasuke slapped his forehead and Naruto cried: "Wait, Hinata-chan, I can explain, we didn't do it on purpo—"

"Nothing for me Ayame-san, thank you," Hinata murmured.

"I'm not hungry either," Sakura said.

Naruto sighed.

"I'll have three bowls of beef ramen with extra eggs and three rice balls!" Ino fumed.

"She's mad," Chouji said to Shikamaru.

"Like I couldn't tell," Shikamaru muttered.

"What happened to you?" Neji glared at Lee.

"Always so concerned about him." Tenten rolled her eyes.

"Hey woman, I wasn't concerned—"

Tenten stabbed a shuriken through the table. Neji promptly shut up. "I'll have two bowls of shrimp ramen, a plate of crabstick maki, and three servings of dangos," Tenten requested.

"Here we go!" The owner set trays on the tables.

"Wow, that was fast!" Tenten clapped her hands in delight.

"Anything to please my customers," the owner smiled nervously at her.

"I didn't order this," Shino pointed at the tray before him.

"O-Of course you did!" Ayame exclaimed.

Kiba crawled back to his seat. "We haven't even ordered yet—mff!"

The owner shoved another mouthful after mouthful of noodles in Kiba's mouth. "Enjoy your meal!" He and Ayame dashed back behind the counter.

"Ino, can I have the fat on your beef?" Chouji asked.

"How dare you ask me for anything!" Ino snarled. "Well, watch this!" She shoved all of the meat inside her mouth, and chewed and swallowed deliberately.

"Oh, here we go," Shikamaru grumbled. Chouji stuck out his lower lip and sniffed.

"Ugh!" Ino cried. "Now he's caused me to ruin my diet."

Shikamaru shook his head. "You shouldn't be on a diet anyway, you already have a great body."

Everybody stopped eating and chopsticks plopped in ramen bowls. Ino blinked Shikamaru stuttered: "I-I mean, you're already as skinny as a pole—"

_WHACK!_

"Hmp!" Ino turned back her attention to her food.

"…. Ouch." Shikamaru muttered.

Everybody resumed eating, except for Hinata, who looked down at her hands, and Sakura, who watched Sasuke and Naruto through narrowed eyes. A voice just behind her said: "Sakura-chan, why aren't you eating?"

"Wha!" She looked over her shoulder. "Kakashi-sensei!"

"Hi kids!" He waved at his pupils. "Now, Sakura, Sasuke—I want both of you to come with me."

"Hey, why am I not included?" Naruto complained.

"Oh, you can come if you want to come in between Sasuke and Sakura—"

"Bye Sakura-chan, bye you bastard!"

"Kakashi, what—"

"Sensei—"

_POOF! _And then there were ten little ninjas left.

"… Okay, weird." Ino rolled her eyes.

Tenten shrugged. "Kakashi-sensei's always weird. Why, there's a time he helped us on our mission, you do remember Neji—" She nudged him. Neji startled. "Oh. Nevermind."

"My beloved youths!"

"Oh no," Neji muttered.

"Gai-sensei!" Lee cried, throwing his arms around his teacher.

"Lee!" Gai cried, throwing his arms around his student/clone.

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee—"

"Gai-sensei!" Tenten admonished. "What is it?"

"Oh, of course." He shook a finger at Lee. "Not you today, Lee. I come for Neji and Tenten."

"Why?" Neji asked suspiciously.

"I need to tell you my dear students, now that you're in the bloom of a youthful romance—"

"We're not in the bloom of a youthful romance!" Neji growled.

Tenten's eyes flashed dangerously. "Is the idea really so repulsive, huh, Neji-_kun_?"

"N-N-No, it's just that—"

"Oh Neji, there's no need to be shy! There's no need to hide the truth from me!" Gai winked at them.

"But we're not—"

"Shut up Neji!"

"But Tenten—"

"Now my dear students, I must have a talk with the two of you, in private."

"No!" Neji protested.

"What, you won't even come with me to talk to Gai-sensei?" Tenten demanded.

"Tenten—"

"You're coming!" Tenten grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away.

"No Tenten, you don't understand!"

"That's the spirit, Tenten!" Gai whooped, dancing his way down the street with his students.

The eight remaining ninjas looked at each other. Naruto slurped the last of his ramen and seized his opportunity. "Hey, Hina—"

"I… I have to go now." Hinata stood up and walked away from the table.

"Wait, Hinata!"

Hinata yelped and ran when she saw Naruto following her. "Wait!" Naruto shouted and ran after her.

"Well, seeing as I'm the only normal person here, I might as well leave." With a flip of her long hair, Ino turned on her heel and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Shikamaru demanded.

"Didn't I tell you I was going to have you all expelled from the ninjahood?" Ino smirked. "I'm going to the jounins!"

"Not so fast!" Shikamaru cried.

Ino stuck out her tongue. "Just try and stop me!" She dashed away at ninja speed.

"Hey!" Shikamaru yelled. "What are you guys just sitting there for? Let's follow her!"

"Okay!" Chouji nodded. The other boys poised to run.

"After her!" Shikamaru dashed after Ino.

"Yeah right," Kiba snorted and sat down again.

Chouji grinned after his teammates. "Well, good luck to them!"

Lee poked at one of his closed tenketsus. "Ow!"

"… I have a bad feeling about this," Shino remarked.

* * *

"Why are we here?" Sasuke demanded. 

"This is rare," Sakura said, looking around. "You hardly ever bring us to your apartment."

Kakashi ushered both of them to his couch. "Now Sasuke, Sakura, I have come to realize that the two of you are growing up."

"What do you mean, Sensei?"

"Don't encourage him, Sakura."

"Huh?"

"You know what I mean, Sakura-chan," Kakashi grinned, or rather, his visible eye crinkled in what probably was a grin. "I know of a certain kiss on the bridge—"

Sasuke turned red. Sakura shook her head vehemently. "But Sensei, the truth is—"

"No need to explain, Sakura, I understand."

"You do?"

"No, he doesn't!" Sasuke growled.

Kakashi nodded, ignoring Sasuke. "Yes. That's why I have something for you." He pointed at his TV.

"Your TV?" Sakura frowned.

"Oh no, we have to get out of here!" Sasuke yelled.

"Not my TV, but what's on my TV." Kakashi switched on the TV set.

_"Come come to Make-Out Paradise, the First-Timer's Edition!"_

Sakura clapped her hands on her burning cheeks. "Sensei!"

"We're leaving!" Sasuke cried, grabbing Sakura's wrist and standing up. Or he tried to, rather. "What in the world—"

"Oh, I forgot to mention, hahahah!" Kakashi slapped his knee. "You guys will love this—I did a jutsu on the couch that traps anyone who sits on it! Isn't that hilarious? Hahahahah!"

"What!" Sakura shrieked. Sasuke gritted his teeth.

"The jutsu will wear out in two hours. Just in time to finish the movie. Well, enjoy! No need to thank me, anything for my students." Kakashi stepped out of the apartment and shut the door.

A second later, the door opened again. "Oh, don't you try closing your eyes for more than two seconds, Pakkun will be guarding you two."

The ninja dog poofed out of nowhere. "Sorry kids, Kakashi's orders."

"Well, see you in two hours!" Kakashi closed the door again.

"SENSEI!"

"KAKASHI!"

* * *

Gai stopped beside a park bench, so Tenten sat down and hauled Neji beside her. 

"Now headlights of my life, as I have said, it has come to my attention that it is the season of love for the two of you."

"Gai-sensei, there's really nothing of the sort has been going on between us," Tenten said.

"Oh Tenten, don't be shy now." Gai insisted. "I know for a fact that you two have been caught in a very compromising position!"

Tenten frowned. "What?"

"A reliable source told me about your hot-blooded encounter in the woods—"

"Lee, I'm going to kill you!" Neji shouted.

"—And as your teacher it is my responsibility to give you adolescents a Talk."

"A talk?" Tenten echoed.

"A Talk."

Neji's eyes widened in horror. "Oh no…"

"My innocent ones, you are in the springtime of youth!" Gai waved his arms dramatically. "Dearest Tenten has blossomed into a beautiful flower and the spirited bird that is Neji has flown free from his cage—"

"I'm not liking the sound of this," Tenten murmured.

"Hn."

"And now that the two of you have found each other, there are things about adult relationships that you must know—"

"It's _that_ kind of a Talk!" Tenten screeched.

"Run!" Neji yelled.

The two of them leaped off the park bench and dashed away. "Wait my youths!" Gai shouted, chasing after them. "I haven't finished yet! Don't do anything hot-blooded!"

"He's insane!" Tenten griped as she and Neji jumped unto the rooftops and ran over the tiles. She threw smoke bombs over her shoulder.

_POOF!_

"_Koff, koff_—this is why I didn't want Lee to think we were doing anything, um, 'hot-blooded.'" Neji coughed.

"What?"

"I said this is why I don't want Lee to think we're doing anything 'hot-blooded!'"

_BANG!_ A couple of Tenten's flash bombs exploded, and they jumped off the roofs and down to the alleys below.

"What did you say, Neji?"

"Never mind, just run!"

"My hot-blooded yoooooooouths!"

"YIKES!"

**(1) **Great Gay Skill, or something like that.

**(2)** _:snicker:_

**(3) **Oh no, TenSaku! LOL. I must admit that NejiTen + SasuSaku is my OT4, so… _:smirks:_

**Author's Notes again :** I know some are expecting a SasuSaku chapter, but that was already in my Team 7 chapter. (You do notice a trend, right? This counts as my Team 8 chapter, sort of, although their scene was rather short.) Anyway, there will be more of SasuSaku and (other ships), so worry not! As for the next chapter, well more chaos! And some ShikaIno and NaruHina since there wasn't much of them here. Now, don't forget to review! By the way, if you haven't already, check out my other Naruto fic, "Between Light and Darkness".


	8. Chapter 7: Teachers Know Best?

**Author's Notes:** It has (literally) been years since I last updated and I am (figuratively) a different person than the one who was writing this fanfic. I didn't mean to abandon it, but things happened. Now that life has settled down, I'll finish it anyway for the small chance that the readers who were once following this fanfic would stumble upon it again.

**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.**

**Sakura Finds Out**

**Chapter 7: Teachers Know Best?**

A flushed Hyuuga Hinata was running. And a panting Uzumaki Naruto was chasing after her.

Anko just had to stop and stare. It wasn't a sight that she was expecting until after Naruto had discovered the 'Come come to Make-Out Paradise, the First-Timer's Edition!' Kakashi had been keeping in reserve until his students' sixteenth birthdays.

"Sensei, please help me!" the Hyuuga heiress pleaded.

"What's happening?"

"I told Naruto-kun that I liked him and now he's following me and I'm running away, the thing is Naruto-kun likes Sasuke-kun and Sakura-chan kissed Sasuke-kun, Sakura-chan told me that Naruto-kun likes Sasuke-kun ."

"Huh?" Anko scratched her head. "Sakura kissed Sasuke because he likes Naruto, and Naruto is chasing you because you like him?"

"Hinata, please let me explain!"

"He's here!" Hinata yelped.

"Listen to me!" Naruto begged. "I didn't steal Sasuke-bastard from Sakura-chan! And the only reason Sasuke-bastard confessed to me is because—"

His next words were lost forever as he flew from Anko's solid uppercut. "You crush stealer, you! That girl trusted you as a teammate and you go behind her back and seduce the Uchiha hottie!"

"Ugghh…." The crumpled heap that was Naruto mumbled incoherently.

Hinata tilted her head uncertainly. "I wonder… was Naruto-kun trying to tell me something important?"

"Forget it!" Anko cried emphatically, slinging her arm on the younger kunoichi's shoulders and leading her away. "Men are always making excuses! Just take Iruka for example. My request was very simple: purple and red pansies. And guess what he does? He comes crawling back to me with some lame fake bruises, claiming that he wasn't able to get him because you, along with your three other female batchmates, attacked him!"

_Attacked… Iruka-sensei?_ Hinata frowned, as a ghost of a memory involving beheaded flowers in the Yamanaka shop and her three dearest friends in the world and the ninja academy teacher itched at the edge of her brain.

"He didn't even have the guts to just admit that he forgot them!" The jounin clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "I mean, a grown man putting the blame on four young girls? Maybe I could believe it if he just said Sakura, Ino, and Ten-Ten, but no, he included you as well. Innocent, angelic, little Hinata—how can that face possibly be capable of beating up a full-grown jounin?!" Anko squeezed the girl's cheeks between both hands.

"Actually, Sensei…" Faint images of a screaming Iruka flashed in her head, somehow she was very angry at that time and maybe she shouted something like 'Hakke Hyaku Nijuuhachi Shou!' and then it seemed her vision turned red…

"Why, Hinata? Did you really do something to Iruka at that time?" Anko pushed the girl's face close to a shiny shop window. "Could it be possible that this harmless-looking face commit such a terrible act to the very dedicated teacher who provided her with the solid foundation upon which she built her ninja way to be able to reach her current Chuunin rank?"

"Well…" Hinata gazed at the reflection of her own pure pearly eyes. She blinked. "No Anko-sensei. Of course not."

And just like that, the memory of a tenketsu-blocked Iruka was flushed to the secret compartment of Hinata Hyuuga's brain where she discarded memories that were too traumatic (like the odoriferous air phenomenon after Kiba removes his shoes) or questions that were best left unanswered (like if there were eyes behind Shino's sunglasses) or other thoughts that were simply too dangerous (like what she could do with Naruto, two bottles of sake, and some well-fashioned ninja rope).

* * *

They made such a good head start, but failed to consider the direction in their hurry and ended up on the riverbank.

"This way!" Neji pointed down the bank.

"Why?" Ten-Ten retorted. "Why do you get to choose where we go from here? I say we go across the river!"

"I don't really care, let's just go!"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You don't care?! You're such a jerk, you can't even talk about the simplest matters, but what should I expect from you anyway, deceitful liar?"

"You know, you really should take your medicine."

"Don't try to pretend like you know what's good for me!"

"At last!" Gai gathered them both in a bear hug, shedding tears of relief. "I'm so glad I was able to catch up with you before you could get carried away by the moment and act upon your youthful feelings!"

'We aren't doing anything!" Neji roared. "And we didn't do anything, and I refuse to be lectured for something that I never had the pleasure of doing!"

"Are you saying… that you wouldn't get any pleasure from a 'youthful moment' with me?" Tenten seethed.

"What? That's not what I'm saying at all!"

"Then you're saying that you wished you had a youthful pleasure moment with Ten-Ten?" Gai gasped.

"Well…" _That would be very…_ Neji slapped his forehead. _This isn't the time to be thinking about soft hair and tight cheongsams!_ "All I'm saying is that we haven't had that moment! Lee gave you the wrong information!"

"So Lee didn't really see you," point at Ten-Ten, "suck at your," point at Neji, "neck?"

"Well he did," Ten-Ten admitted. "But—"

"Then you ARE exploring the unfamiliar territory of 'adult relationships.'" Gai flicked quotation marks in the air.

"No!" Neji howled, frustrated. "She did it to stop my bleeding—"

"Oh yes, the bleeding of your lonely adolescent heart," the teacher nodded with the utmost understanding. "However, you must realize that one thing often leads to another, and I am well aware of Ten-Ten's budding feelings for Neji—feelings which could have her attempt to influence his youthful instincts!"

"What?!" Ten-Ten cried. "Are you implying that I would be so desperate as to seduce Neji? I would never –"

"Ah," Gai shook a finger at her face. "You protest my dumpling-haired buttercup, but isn't that the lipgloss for youthful beauties I specifically got in the shade of 'Ninja Love Attack?'"

"Uh… no?" the dumpling-haired buttercup lied, rubbing her lips with the back of her hand.

"I understand how you feel my little spring roll," Gai proclaimed. He waved his hands grandly and stepped forward, turning his face to the sun. "You are fearful of the maturation process, of the countless changes that are commencing, of the sudden surging of scorching sentiments—but this is why Gai-sensei is here, to guide you through the unknown and exciting adolescent world! So what do you say, my precious little youths, let us go together, with the winds of change on our back, towards the shining sun of tomorrow!"

He turned around to find a glaringly empty NejiTen-shaped void.

"NEVER!" Neji screamed, ninja-running over the river's waters, hand-in-hand with Ten-Ten. "I never want anyone to teach me about fountains of fiery feelings and my mystifying metamorphosis into manhood—especially not you!"

* * *

Yuuhi Kurenai thought it was decidedly suspicious.

From the other side of Kakashi's door, sleazy music played, punctuated by excited gasps and frantic moans. Hanging from the doorknob was a 'Come Come Paradise'-issued _Do Not Disturb_ sign.

She was about to go on her way, ready to dismiss it as Kakashi simply being the pervert that he is and watching his questionable videos, but she heard voices… very familiar, very _young_ voices.

"Iyah, Sasuke-kun, not so roughly!"

"It can't be helped, I want to be released as soon as possible. Don't you want the same thing?"

"Well… yes, but I wish you'd be a bit more careful about it. We might wake up Pakkun…"

"Don't worry, he'll definitely be unconscious for a couple of hours. We can do anything. He won't catch us."

"Alright Sasuke-kun, if you say so…"

"This is no good, Sakura… I think I have to take off my pants now."

"Huh? Then I guess… I'll take off my clothes too—"

"These children!" Kurenai clapped her hands over mouth. "They took one too many peeks at Kakashi's questionable books—I must stop them before they do anything reckless!"

She kicked the door open, shouting: "STOP!"

And found the pair of disheveled teenagers tangled on the floor.

"Just what do you think you're doing!" she screamed.

Uchiha Sasuke looked from his torn clothes, to Haruno Sakura pinned under him, to the shocked jounin sensei, and said: "It's not what it looks like."

"That's what they always say," Kurenai stepped in the apartment and glared at them. She swiveled her head at an especially loud moan and saw the video playing on the television. "Why that's… that's!!"

"But it's true, Kurenai-sensei!" Sakura claimed. "We were trapped on the couch because Kakashi-sensei wanted to make us watch the video and Pakkun was guarding us and we had to put him to sleep and we almost had to tear our clothes to escape—"

"Enough!" Kurenai snapped at them. "Do you actually expect to believe me that your own sensei would put you up to this? Kakashi may be irresponsible and unorthodox—"

"You have no idea," Sasuke muttered.

"—but even he wouldn't encourage this kind of behavior!" she stomped towards the chuunins and grabbed an ear in each hand.

"Sensei, please—"

"I will not stand to be treated this way, I am an Uchiha—"

"You may have had it easy before, having such a lax sensei, but no more!" she declared. "It's obvious that somebody needs to draw the line here, and if it has to be me, then so be it."

Dragging two of the most talented chuunins of Konoha by the ear, Kurenai headed out the apartment purposefully, crimson eyes glowing with determination.

"I will protect the innocence of the village's next generation—I swear by my honor as a ninja!"

* * *

Genma paused and looked up from the document he was writing on. "Your complaint is that every single one of your male batchmates turned out to be gay and you want to go to Hokage-sama to have them expelled from the ninjahood?"

Ino slammed her palm on the table. "Please hurry up and process that complaint form! This is a very serious matter!"

"But Ino-chan…" Shizune tugs at her hair, looking discomfited. "Expelling someone from the ninjahood is an extreme measure usually reserved for the vilest crimes…"

"It's only as a last resort," the blond girl assured her. "First, I'd like to request a cure from Tsunade-sama for their unfortunate condition—and should the highest medical jutsus fail, only then do I move for the expulsion of the said anomalous characters from the ninjahood."

"Cure for anomalous boys," Genma murmured as he scribbled on the document. His partner raised an eyebrow at him. "What? Shouldn't we be as faithful as possible to the telling of the ninja conflict at hand?"

Shizune rolled her eyes. "Anyway, have you anything to say for yourself, Shikamaru-kun?"

The lanky teenager was leaning languidly against a pillar, watching the conversation through half-closed eyes. "No."

"Then you admit the validity of Yamanaka Ino's allegations?" Genma whistled. "Wow, I never saw this coming."

"They're not true of course," the boy drawled. "But it would be too troublesome to file a counter-complaint. You'd want me to retell the situation in my point-of-view with as much detail as possible, to accomplish a written form in triplicate, to go through an interrogation with Baki's squad, and finally, to testify before the Hokage. No thank you, it's too much trouble. I'd rather just wait until her story is proven false."

"Well wait all you want," Ino seethed. "After all I'm the one who's telling the truth. I know what I saw!'

"What you saw?" Shikamaru smirked. "Don't you mean what Sakura saw?"

"Huh?"

"You yourself didn't see anything after all," he retorted. "You weren't there. You just know what Sakura told you."

"Well, so what?" She planted her hands on her hips and raised her chin aggressively. "Sakura is one hundred percent positive about what she saw!"

"Wait a minute, Ino-chan," Shizune cut in. "If Sakura-chan was actually the one who saw those things, then that changes things. She'd have to be the one to recount what she saw and she'd have to act as a witness on your behalf."

"So where's Sakura?" Genma asked.

"She's here," Kurenai announced, hauling Sakura and Sasuke by the ear into the office. She let go of them and they both fell on the ground, groaning and massaging their earlobes. "With her fellow overly curious teenage partner. I'm here to lodge a complaint."

"You too?" Shizune frowned concernedly. "What's the matter, Kurenai-sensei?"

"It has come to my attention that the _children_—" she glowered at the pair of teens who looked at her sulkily, "—of this village haven't been getting enough guidance."

"In what sense?" Shizune asked, her pen poised over a fresh document.

"Excuse me," Ino coughed deliberately, tapping her foot impatiently. "I was here first. Sorry, Kurenai-sensei, but this is important."

"Not now, Ino," Shizune shushed. "Kurenai-sensei is discussing a serious matter."

"Well, so am I!"

"I'll process your complaint," Genma said, quickly smoothing things over. "Let Shizune handle Kurenai-sensei's."

"Getting back," Kurenai pointed at Sakura, who now stood next to Ino, and at Sasuke, who joined Shikamaru by the pillar. "I caught these two indulging their curiosity… being experimental—well, simply put, they were reenacting Kakashi's questionable videos!"

Genma dropped his pen and gaped. "But she said—" pointing at Ino, "that their batchmates were all gay!"

"Thank you for making my case," Shikamaru chuckled. "Your hormones have served well."

"I was doing no such thing for you," the other boy huffed.

Ino clapped her hands over her mouth. "Sakura, you mean you—"

Sakura shook her head vehemently. "No, it's just a misunderstanding!"

"I know what I saw." Kurenai insisted.

"But it wasn't what it looked like!"

"Sounds familiar?" Sasuke sneered. "Don't you make similar leaps to conclusions yourself?"

"That's _different_—"

"Your love quarrel can wait," the jounin sensei raised a hand to silence them. "My point is, I'd like to request to Hokage-sama to provide for specific education to the teenagers as they transition into adulthood."

"I reject!"

"I second that rejection!"

Ten-Ten and Neji stomped into the office, wild-eyed and breathless. The Hyuuga flipped his hair and in one fluid motion, pointed at the fast approaching green jumpsuited figure.

"That _creature_ has been trying to give us specific education in what has been the most maddening hour of my life!"

"If that's the kind of education you have in mind, then we reject that proposal!" The dumpling-haired girl shrieked. "In fact, we're here to lodge a complaint against teachers who take it upon themselves to go beyond the prescribed ninja curriculum into such personal matters!"

"I suppose you think that would take out much of the excitement from your adolescent adventures," Kurenai said dryly.

"I refuse to be accused of something that I never had the pleasure of doing!" Neji declared.

"Because you want to have the pleasure of doing it first?" Genma speculated. Shizune elbowed him smartly in the ribs.

"My precious yooooouths!"

Ten-Ten grasped both Sakura and Ino by the arm, and Neji hid behind Sasuke, Shikamaru and pillar. Gai entered the room with a flying kick and a dazzling smile.

"I suppose you're here to complain too," Genma muttered sarcastically. "Well, you'll have to wait, we're fully booked right now."

"No, I have no complaints," the sensei said. "As long as I have my lovely dumpling-haired buttercup and my freely soaring bird then I am content. Come, my darlings!" He twirled two perfect rotations then poised on one tiptoed foot, holding out his hands at his errant students.

Ten-Ten wrinkled her nose. "Err… no."

The office door was kicked open with a bang.

"What now?" Shizune sighed.

"I'm here to _–hic_- complain my lodging! _–hic–hic-_ You had all listen better!" Anko slurred, stumbling into the office, supported by Hyuuga Hinata. An empty sake bottle was clenched tightly in her hand.

"I'm so sorry," the girl bowed at everyone, ashamed. "I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen to me…"

"_–hic-_ My complaint is men in general! For being _–hic-_ such… men!" Anko smashed the bottle on the floor and snarled at the males in the office. "You're all such _–hic-_ men!"

Genma grinned at her. "Anko-chan, be a good girl and have a lie down. The clinic is next door."

"Shaddap!"

"Don't provoke her!" Shizune scolded. "Look, this is an administrative office, not a tavern, so let's all please act like civilized ninjas! Now, we'll process one complaint at a time. I guess we're back to your issue, Ino-chan. You demand that all your male batchmates be expelled from the ninjahood for being gay. Can anyone of you boys tell us what was happening when Sakura saw Sasuke confessing to Naruto?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "I told you, it's too troublesome."

"Hn." Sasuke turned away haughtily.

"I could…" Neji said slowly. Sasuke glared daggers at him. "That is, if I hadn't given my word as a ninja not to disclose the truth behind the truth of that situation."

"What do you mean?"

"It is Sasuke's secret to tell, not mine."

"Sasuke-kun?" Shizune looked at him inquiringly. "It seems you have the key to solving this puzzle. What happened that time, really?"

"Well…" he hesitated. His gaze wandered to Sakura, who blinked at him wonderingly. He quickly looked away, his cheeks flushed.

"What is it?"

"… I can't."

"I CAN!"

Everyone turned to the destroyed doorway. Naruto stood, silhouetted by the daylight, a toothy grin on his bruised face.

"I'll tell you what was _really_ going on that day. I don't care that Sasuke bastard doesn't want me to do it."

The other boy hissed some unintelligible curses.

"What matters is that everyone will know the truth… especially _my_ Hinata."

Neji choked then rose to his full height and stomped towards Naruto. "_Your_ Hinata?"

"Wait, Neji-niisan!" she cried. "I… I want to hear what Naruto has to say."

"It's about time," Kiba snickered. He entered the office, followed by Shino, Chouji, and Lee.

Naruto smiled. "Well, now that we're all here, let me tell you about that day…"

**Author's Notes (again):** So, here we are finally. When I started this fanfic, I hoped for it to be finished quickly, but circumstances got in the way. But at least, we're nearly there. For anyone who wants to get in touch (maybe to make sure that I won't let the same unplanned hiatus happen again or something), feel free to PM me through this site or LJ (refer to my profile) or some other method. Since I'm busy with work, language lessons and other personal stories, it might take up to a month for the next chapter to come out. But not longer than that. I made a deal with august gem (also on ) to finish our pending stories. So, we will. I'll work on "Between Light and Darkness" after this one.


	9. Chapter 8: Underneath the Underneath

**Author's Notes:** Finally. This is the resolution chapter. It's not the final chapter because I'm still going to write an epilogue.

**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.**

**Sakura Finds Out**

**Chapter 8: Underneath the Underneath**

"Kampai_!" Naruto and Kiba yelled at the same time. "Don't copy me—_baka_!"_

"_It's the pot calling the kettle black." Shino calmly sipped his sake._

"_Wonderful!" Lee exclaimed. "Especially you—Neji-kun, Shikamaru-kun. You have been appointed jounins and you have ignited an explosion of inspiration in us all."_

"_Hn," Sasuke muttered. He caught Neji's eye. They exchanged challenging glowers and beat each other to downing their cups in one gulp._

_Shikamaru snorted. "As usual, they're trying to best each other in the most irrelevant ways."_

_The minute the cups were drained, Chouji had taken it upon himself to refill them. Once again, Naruto and Kiba chorused: "Kampai! Shut up, stop copying me!"_

_Seven bottles later, Chouji was whining: "Shikamaru… my tummy hurts."_

_His best friend fixed a lazy eye on him and drawled: "Serves you right—who told you to eat all of the barbecue?"_

"_Help meeee…" the big-boned boy sniffled. "Remember, when Ino was crying because I was injured, you promised her you'd always take care of me so she shouldn't cry anymore?"_

"_She told you that?" Shikamaru had been flushed from the drinking, and now he turned positively scarlet. "Tch." He grumbled but allowed Chouji to flop belly-first on his lap, like a giant baby needing to burp._

"_Nyahahahah!" Naruto laughed obnoxiously. "Did your wife leave you with the baby, Shikamaru?"_

"_Shut up!"_

"_How curious," Shino remarked. "Even a genius reacts the same way most other teenaged ninjas do when peers comment about the object of their affections—with defensive embarrassment."_

"_Hmm… that may be correct." Lee says, with a sidelong glance at Neji._

"_It's different!" Neji proclaimed passionately, standing up and waving his empty cup in the air. "It's not embarrassment that stops me from pursuing the object of my affection, but my status, I am a mere branch house member and must devote my life to serving the main house."_

"_Who is it, who is it, who is it—though I think I already know who that girl is!" Kiba grinned, his fangs glinting._

_Neji shook his head dramatically, his long hair shimmering. "To protect her from gossip I can't reveal her identity, the only clue being her name starts with 'Ten' and ends with '-ten.'"_

"_Yes, I knew it!" The dog boy barked happily._

"_I can't even tell her how I feel!" The depressed Hyuuga threw his arms around Lee._

"_Neji-kun, hang in there!" Lee cried, then grimaced. "Neji-kun, don't throw up there…"_

"_Pathetic," Sasuke huffed._

"_Look who's talking," Naruto ranted. "At least he can admit to his feelings, unlike you."_

"_I don't have feelings for Sakura," he denied hotly._

"_Hah—I didn't say your feelings were for Sakura-chyaaaan."_

_Sasuke blinked, gaped, then scowled. "… Dammit."_

"_You act like you're so cool, but you can't even tell her you like her even though she tells you that she likes you all the time."_

"_I can tell her I like her any time I want to," Sasuke declared._

_Naruto had stuck a finger in his ear and was digging around. He pulled out his finger, examined it, and yawned. "Ehh… You're just saying that."_

"_I can do it."_

"_Then prove it."_

_Sasuke swallowed. "She's not here."_

_Naruto flicked his finger dismissively. "Then pretend."_

_The Uchiha prodigy shook his head. "This is nonsense."_

"_Henge!" Naruto cried, disappearing in a puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared, standing before all the boys was the likeness of Haruno Sakura. In Naruto's voice, the likeness said: "Come on, Sasuke-_baka_, if you can't even do with a fake Sakura, how are we supposed to believe you can do it with the real one?"_

_Lee had pulled down the soiled top of his jumpsuit and was still supporting his passed out teammate. "It would be like practice then… for the inevitable day." His smile turned upside down._

"_What's the matter, Sasuke, too chicken? Or maybe," Fake-Sakura's green eyes slanted in Naruto's expression of pure mischief. "I should use the Sexy-no-Jutsu version to get you in the mood?"_

_Sasuke glared. "_Dobe_, don't you dare!"_

"_Aiya!" Kiba pumped his cup in the air, all the sake sloshing out and splashing on Shino._

"…" _Shino filled his cup deliberately then hurled it at Kiba._

"_Hey!" He tackled his teammate and they both fell into the stream._

_Fake-Sakura raised his hand to form the seal. Sasuke closed his eyes and muttered, "Sorry Sakura," and drop-kicked Naruto before he could complete the jutsu._

_Reverting to his original form, Naruto jumped up and snarled: "Chicken!"_

"_If Sakura were here," Sasuke growled through gritted teeth, "I can definitely say…"_

_Shikamaru cocked an eyebrow._

_Chouji blubbered incoherently._

_Lee leaned forward._

_Neji murmured something about tight cheongsams and sexy odango hair._

_Shino and Kiba were too busy trying to drown each other._

"_What?" Naruto challenged._

"Daisuki_!" Sasuke yelled._

_Naruto's blue eyes blazed triumphantly. Twitching uncontrollably, he opened his mouth to reply—_

_"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCKKK!" An ear-piercing shriek rang throughout Konoha._

_The boys—those who still had a semblance of consciousness, at least—turned to see shocked, teary-eyed Sakura, the real one, gawking at them._

"_Oh shit," Sasuke breathed._

_"Y-Y-You… guys—gays—whatever… I hope _Kami_-sama punishes you all for this blatant display of corrupted sexuality!" She screamed before turning on her heel and running away at ninja-speed._

_Managing to raise his head above the water, Kiba spluttered: "What the HELL!"_

_Shikamaru complained: "Shit—how bothersome."_

_"Sakura-san is here Neji, wake-up!" Lee cried, shaking him._

_"Crap!" Naruto yelped._

_Jolted into alertness, Sasuke shouted: "SAKURA!"_

* * *

"And that's what really happened that day." Naruto held his arms akimbo and beamed at everyone.

"I'm going to kill you," Sasuke snarled but before he could pounce, a gentle hand against his back stopped him. He looked over his shoulder.

Green eyes looked at him expectantly. "Is that true, Sasuke-kun?"

For five very long seconds, he stared at her.

Then the office door shattered open, revealing Iruka waving a big purple and red bouquet. "Anko-sama!"

The drunken special jounin whirled around, teeth bared, but at the sight of the flowers her hostile grimace melted into a starry-eyed gaze. "Iruka-chaaaan, you DO love me!" She jumped on him and showered kisses on his still bruised face as they collapsed on a heap on the floor.

"Ow, ow, ow—Anko-sama, please be gentle."

"This is why students are going astray, because of the example set by teachers," Kurenai gasped, outraged.

A bemused-looking Kakashi poofed in the middle of the office. "Has anyone seen my Sasuke and Sakura? We were in the middle of some educational exercises…" He trailed off when he saw Kurenai's fiery crimson eyes fixed upon him. "Yes, can I help you?"

"Kakashi!" She snatched his ear and dragged him to Genma and Shizune's table. "This sensei is responsible for corrupting his own students."

"Kurenai-sensei, he's just helping them get to an early start." Genma said. "After all, Uchiha Sasuke has an entire clan to restore."

Sakura blushed. Under her hand, she felt Sasuke's back tense, and even as he ducked, coaxing his hair into covering his face, she could see that he was flushed as well.

"Genma!" Shizune slapped his arm girlishly.

Kakashi nodded beatifically. "Kurenai, you'd have to agree… restoring the very talented Uchiha clan should be top priority."

"Kakashi!" Kurenai shrieked, scandalized.

Sakura shook her head to shake out the (tempting) mental images, and turned back to her dark-haired teammate. "Sasuke-kun, about what Naruto said…"

Before she could say anything, Gai pirouetted between her and Sasuke, separating them, before halting in front of Kakashi. "No, no, no, Kakashi—as a sensei you must teach them about control and how to emotionally cope with their blossoming adulthood as well…"

"Ten-Ten." Neji took her hand. "Naruto's tale earlier, you might have heard that—"

"Neji." She smiled warmly at him. "Let's talk about it later. After we escape from the crazy green beast who's about to scar us for life."

He nodded in assent. Hand-in-hand, they sprinted out of the office.

"Hey, that's no fair," Kiba howled, but Lee covered his mouth.

"Let them be, Neji-kun would naturally want to catch up on all the things he was accused of doing."

"Finally!" Naruto wiped his forehead. "Now that Neji's gone… Hinata?"

"Umm… yes?" She cried in surprise.

"Today was really tiring and I could really use a meal right now… would you like to join me for ramen again?" He tugged at his collar and cleared his throat. "Likeadate… thatisifyouwantittobe."

"_Dobe_," Kiba sniffed. "You just had ramen. Hinata likes sushi."

"Oh…" the blonde quickly said: "Ichiraku-jisan said he'd serve sushi too if the girl I'm with likes it..."

"Um, um, um…" Hinata tweedled her thumbs. She felt a gentle nudge behind her, and looked back to see Shino.

"Good luck… Hinata."

Her pale cheeks spotted pink, she took the hand her crush offered and left.

Sakura clapped delightedly. Then she remembered her own business and called: "Sasuke-kun?" She whirled around, trying to find him in the midst of ninja sempais fighting and teasing and kissing, and her own batchmates' nonstop chattering.

Chouji grabbed Shikamaru and Ino by their necks and brought them together. "Now kiss."

"Chouji-baka!" Shikamaru yelped when he banged foreheads with Ino.

Ino glared up at him. "Shikamaru… why didn't you just tell me that's what happened during the party?"

"I said it before, and I'll say it again—it was too troublesome."

"Ugh!" She swatted Chouji's arm away and separated from Shikamaru. "So it was too troublesome to take the trouble to explain to me, huh?"

"I didn't say that…" he began, but Ino was already walking away, the air around her sizzling with the spiciest curses known to the ninjahood.

"Aren't you going to follow her?" Chouji asked.

"She's too angry now. It would be best for me to let her sleep on it for now, then talk to her tomorrow."

"You really know her too well, don't you?"

"Shut up," Shikamaru mumbled, but his words lacked vehemence and he continued staring after his teammate's swinging pale gold ponytail.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura shuffled around then stopped dejectedly. _He's gone…_

"Sakura?" She looked up to see Iruka-sensei grinning, Anko's arms still twined around him.

"Anko told me what happened. Don't worry, he'll talk to you when he's ready."

She forced herself to smile. "I hope so, Sensei."

**Author's Notes (again):** This is it. It's really going to be finished. This took years, but I never planned to abandon any of my stories, and I will finish them. When the epilogue is up, I'll probably resume "Between Light and Darkness" next.


	10. Epilogue: The Confession Replay

**Author's Notes:** Thanks for everyone still reading this fanfic. Thanks to everyone who once read this fanfic. Thanks, and I'm sorry this took so long.

**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.**

**Sakura Finds Out**

**Epilogue: The Confession Replay**

I, Haruno Sakura, gazed thoughtfully as I walked my way up one of the main streets intersecting the center of Konohagakure. It was a beautiful day; with an abundance of gentle sunshine and light refreshing breezes, as villagers wandered and chatted happily.

But I scarcely noted the fair weather when I saw Ino, sweeping the front yard of the Yamanaka flower shop even though it was spotless. Not that she was fully attending to her task; she glanced left and right, and grumbled as she failed to catch sight of what she expected. Finally, she threw down the broom and stomped inside, slamming the plate-glass door.

I entered the shop. "Ino?"

She looked up from fiddling with the ends of her long blond hair. "Hey, Sakura. You need something?"

"Well…" I shrugged. "Would you happen to have a sorry-I-jumped-to-conclusions-I'm-still-in-love-with-you-please-say-you-feel-the-same flower?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "I don't think you owe him anything. He should've told you the truth from the beginning. For goodness sakes, you're teammates, you've shared so much through all these years, even put each other's lives in each other's hands." She started hacking at a bunch of roses. "You've known each other since childhood, been friends even at the time that boys hated girls and vice-versa, heck, if your fathers are to be believed, you're practically engaged…"

I raised an eyebrow. "Somewhere along the way, it stopped being about me and Sasuke-kun."

She puffed out her cheeks and gave me a yellow flower with four petals. "Here. Forsythia means 'hope.' Finding out that he feels the same way after all that crazy crap, it seems appropriate. Hopeful that we can all just forget about it if nothing else." She held up a hand when I reached for my purse. "It's okay. As long as you make sure to make me the maid of honor and to order all the flowers from our shop for your wedding."

Our usual inside joke fell flat, and I sighed. "As long as you understand that might never come…"

The door bell jingled and Shikamaru stepped in, hands in his pockets, his frown more deliberately lazy than usual.

"This is unspoken love."

Ino narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

"I need flowers with that meaning."

She grabbed a bunch of delicate white gardenias. "Anything else?"

"And my feelings are sincere."

Kneeling by a flower box, Ino cut a spray. "White anemones mean sincerity."

"Beauty and strength."

She glared at him. "We don't have that here."

He shifted his weight. "Please love me."

She stared unblinkingly, but he refused to meet her eyes. Finally she fetched a single violet. "This means quite literally, 'please love me.'"

"Make a bouquet of it," Shikamaru said.

Ino arranged the flowers with some baby's breath and fern, rolling pale yellow wax paper around the bouquet, and tying it with a golden ribbon. She dumped the bouquet unceremoniously in Shikamaru's hands.

He slapped a bill on the counter. "Keep the change." He sauntered out of the shop.

The jangling of the bell upon his exit died down, and a very thick silence descended upon us.

Ino cut it when she grabbed a huge pair of shears and started abusing the daisies in a plant box. "For that Sand girl, I wouldn't wonder…"

I snorted. "Beauty and strength? _Beauty_?"

"I don't care," Ino snarled viciously. "I'm prettier than her anyway."

"No contest. Besides, she's chunky."

"She's brawnier than Shikamaru."

"And her hair? Please, hasn't she heard of conditioner?"

The door bell jangled again, and Shikamaru purposefully approached Ino.

She pouted. "Look, once you say 'keep the change' you can't take it back—mmf!"

Shikamaru thrust the flowers in her hands, grabbed her around the waist, and kissed her to silence.

My jaw dropped.

When he pulled back, she blinked rapidly at him. "Shikamaru…" Then she pounded her fists against his chest. "_Baka_, you can't kiss me without permission!"

"Congratulations!" Their fathers burst out from behind the curtain covering the storeroom, showering petals and hugging each other.

"The motif will be green and purple—"

"But my Ino-hime will wear a white dress—"

"A hundred, no, two hundred guests—"

"Sakura-chan, you will be the maid of honor, right?" Inoichi-san asked me. I nodded, biting my lips to suppress a laugh.

"We need to tell Chouza that his son would be the best man…"

"Oyaji!" Shikamaru growled.

"Daaaaad!" Ino wailed. "You're ruining our moment."

I tiptoed out of the shop, deciding to call her later. Looks like the crazy events of the past few days were good for something after all, and not something that Ino would want to forget anymore.

I continued up the street and saw Naruto and Hinata sitting side by side on temple rooftop with a view of the Hokage monument.

"It's true I never thought of you as a… girlfriend." Naruto scratched his head. "But it's because we live in different worlds… you're the heiress of the famous Hyuuga family and I'm dead-last… besides you're so quiet and you hardly ever talked to me except when you're helping me, I thought you only pitied me…

"But, but—if it's okay with you, we can hang out and talk and get to know each other like this!"

"I… I'd like that."

Their hands inched across the space between then met; they gently clasped each other and exchanged smiles.

Way to go, Naruto. I nodded approvingly. Hinata was an amazing girl, and she cared for him like no one else does. She's the only girl I could ever trust my childish, sometimes idiotic, but always goodhearted teammate with.

"Narutoooo, get your greasy hands off Hinata-sama!"

"It's Neji-niisan! Naruto-kun, RUN!"

I coughed in the cloud of dust rising as Neji streaked past me and bounded to the rooftops in pursuit of Naruto.

He had barely crossed three roofs when a voice called: "Neji?"

Ten-Ten was watching him from the yard of the fortune-teller's shop down the street.

He stopped mid-air and expertly landed on the ground. (A relieved Naruto sneaked off to Hinata, who was beckoning at him from behind a camouflaging blanket.)

"Ten-Ten…" He faced her solemnly. "Last night, Hiashi-sama talked to me about our situation… he heard about it from the senseis, the gossiping villagers, and Hinata-sama…

"He told me in no uncertain terms that… I'm fortunate to have met you. And as my closest living older male relative, he would be pleased to meet you."

Ten-Ten hugged him exuberantly, and they set of in the opposite direction, hand-in-hand, setting an appointment.

Everything was working out surprisingly well… more than well in fact, it was as if everything was falling in place. I had woken up feeling incredibly stupid for jumping to conclusions, causing a big fight between us twelve, and even involving the senseis in our troubles. But now it seemed everything happened for a reason.

"I should be glad, for everyone else at least." I bit my lip. Sasuke-kun had said he liked me—rather, Naruto had said that Sasuke said he liked me.

"But after how I acted… I wonder…"

I sighed and continued walking to the end of the bridge where our team usually met, arriving at the official time. Kakashi-sensei would be three hours late as usual, and from the looks of things, Naruto would arrive late as well, and Sasuke-kun would probably lurk in the surrounding trees until they arrived, in his usual avoidance of being left alone with him. But I settled on the railing nonetheless and waited, the flower in my hand.

Sasuke's upside-down face dropped an inch away from mine. "Sakura."

"Kya!" I scooted backward, forgetting that I was on a bridge railing, and started to fall. He swiftly landed on the bridge and pulled me back.

"Umm… thanks, Sasuke-kun."

He was still holding my wrist, and my forsythia was right at his face.

"That's… umm," I retrieved my hand. "Sasuke-kun."

"Aa," he muttered, his dark eyes looking directly into mine.

As always, the intensity in those sharply slanted eyes made me shiver, but at the same time, I was relieved that he was acknowledging my presence. I took a deep breath and offered him the flower. "This is for you. In the language of flowers, it means hope. Because I'm hoping that you can accept my apology."

"Hn." He took the flower and stuffed it in his pocket.

"I'm sorry I jumped into conclusions and let the whole thing escalate and just go out of hand." I smiled sadly at him. "I've never made my feelings for you a secret, so you must know why… although, that's still not an excuse."

"Forget about it."

"Alright," I nodded. If he wanted to pretend that the past few days didn't really happen, then maybe it was for the best. I started to turn away but he caught my wrist and spun me back to face him.

He purposefully raised before my eyes a yellow, four-petaled flower similar to the one I just gave him. "Everything blowing out of proportion… it wasn't just you. It was also because the other girls wouldn't listen to the guys' denials. And because we didn't fully explain ourselves." He pushed the flower into my hands. "That part… was my fault."

I accepted the flower. "Then, I accept your apology as well."

"That's not what it means."

"Oh…" I murmured, confused.

"I'm hoping for something else." He ran his hands through his silky black hair, and if I didn't know better, I would've thought that he was anxious about something. "Yes."

I slowly shook my head. "I… don't understand."

"Your question before. That's the answer. Yes."

The events of the last few days flashed in my head. My question, my question… my last question... with regards to Naruto's explanation of what I had seen…

"_Is that true, Sasuke-kun?"_

Yes.

I gasped. "So that means…"

"Yes." He faced me, determined. "I like you."

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I swallowed, then tried again. "You already know that I like you, that's still how I feel."

He nodded, then ended up in a half-shrug. "Rather, that's what I'm hoping for, even after everything that has happened."

"Okay." I nervously smoothed my skirt. "I'm not sure how we go from here."

"I am." In one step he closed the distance between us. "I should return the favor."

Closing my eyes, I let him tilt my chin up to meet his kiss.

**Author's Notes (again): **Here's the end. Hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
